On Thursday, March 12, the Virginia Congressional delegation announced that the U.S. Navy will position its newest carrier, the Gerald Ford, at Naval Station Norfolk for the next several years. Additionally, the Navy has also decided to reverse an earlier decision and will maintain Little Creek as a deep water amphibious port and homeport four amphibious ships at Little Creek through 2020.
This is tremendously good news for our nation’s military and Virginia’s historic partnership with the Navy. These decisions will create and maintain thousands of private-sector jobs here in Hampton Roads, because Virginia is home to the world’s best shipbuilders and contractors. Our Navy aircraft carriers and warships are vital to projecting the country’s strength, and there is no better place to homeport the newest carrier USS Gerald Ford than here in Hampton Roads.
Due to significant problems with the electrical supply system at Little Creek, the Navy had planned to downgrade Little Creek’s status as a deep water port. I’m proud to have worked with the Virginia delegation, the Navy, and local leaders to secure $30 million in funding to make critical upgrades to Little Creek’s infrastructure. Once in danger of losing ships due to those issues, the Navy has reversed its plans and will maintain Little Creek as an amphibious port, where it will homeport four warships at least through 2020.
These two important commitments demonstrate the Navy’s confidence in Virginia’s world class ports, its great workforce, and this region’s history of supporting our military men and women. While Congress has more work to do to reverse the mindless across-the-board sequester cuts, this announcement is welcome news for the Navy and the entire region.