WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 19, 2026 : The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Mission Technologies Corp. a $417.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide maintenance, repair, and technical support services for elevator support units aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious ships.
The contract, designated N00024-26-D-4103, was issued by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, D.C. The award was made through a competitive procurement process that received a single bid.
Under the agreement, HII Mission Technologies, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, will perform work both within and outside the continental United States, including support for forward-deployed naval forces operating in overseas theaters. The five-year contract is scheduled to continue through June 2031.
Contract Structure and Scope
As an IDIQ contract, the agreement does not obligate funding at the time of award. Instead, the U.S. Navy will issue task orders over the life of the contract as maintenance and repair requirements arise.
The cost-plus-fixed-fee structure allows the government to reimburse the contractor for allowable costs while providing a fixed fee for performance. This contracting approach is commonly used for naval maintenance programs where future repair requirements cannot be accurately predicted in advance.
HII Mission Technologies will provide a broad range of services, including:
- Engineering and technical support
- Maintenance and repair services
- Operator and maintenance training
- System testing and evaluation
- Equipment overhaul and modernization
- Lifecycle sustainment support
- Cargo-handling equipment maintenance
The work will focus on elevator support units and associated equipment installed aboard aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships throughout the fleet.
Importance of Elevator Systems
Although often less visible than combat systems or propulsion equipment, shipboard elevators are essential to naval operations and fleet readiness.
On aircraft carriers, elevator systems are divided into two primary categories:
Weapons Elevators transport bombs, missiles, and other munitions from secure magazines deep inside the ship to flight deck preparation areas. Their performance directly affects how quickly aircraft can be armed and launched during operations.
Aircraft Elevators move fighter aircraft, helicopters, and support aircraft between hangar bays and the flight deck. These systems support aircraft maintenance, staging, and flight operations while maximizing deck efficiency.
On amphibious assault ships, elevators are used to move Marines, vehicles, cargo, supplies, aviation equipment, and personnel between multiple decks. Reliable operation of these systems is critical during expeditionary missions, Marine Corps deployments, logistics operations, and humanitarian assistance missions.
Mechanical failures in elevator systems can disrupt the movement of personnel and equipment, reducing operational efficiency and affecting mission readiness.
Supporting Fleet Readiness
The contract comes as the U.S. Navy continues to maintain a high operational tempo across multiple regions, including the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Europe. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups are regularly deployed in support of security operations, deterrence missions, and allied commitments.
Extended deployments and continuous operations place additional strain on complex mechanical systems aboard naval vessels. Timely maintenance, predictive servicing, and rapid repair capabilities help reduce downtime and prevent disruptions to operational schedules.
The ability to conduct maintenance work in forward-deployed locations is expected to support fleet readiness by ensuring critical shipboard systems remain available during deployments.
HII's Role in Naval Sustainment
Huntington Ingalls Industries is the largest independent military shipbuilder in the United States. The company was established as an independent organization following its separation from Northrop Grumman in 2011.
Through its Mission Technologies division, HII provides engineering, technical, maintenance, and operational support services to U.S. defense customers. The company has supported numerous Navy sustainment and modernization programs and has previously worked on shipboard elevator maintenance efforts.
The new contract strengthens HII's role not only in building naval vessels but also in supporting their long-term operational readiness and lifecycle sustainment.
Future task orders issued under the IDIQ contract will address specific maintenance and repair requirements as they emerge, allowing the Navy to respond efficiently to changing operational priorities while maintaining the availability of critical shipboard systems across the fleet.
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