On July 7, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks unveiled a $3.6 billion investment in Hawaii's Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. This substantial funding aims to create lasting opportunities in the local construction market and provide competitive jobs for Hawaiians at all levels.
"Our investments will offer significant opportunities to the local construction market for decades & offer competitive jobs to Hawaiians at all levels," Hicks wrote in a July 7 Twitter post.
In her Twitter post, Hicks announced that the Department of Defense (DoD) will invest a staggering $3.6 billion into Hawaii's Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (PHNSY) and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF), making it the "the largest single military construction project in history."
According to an outline of her itinerary, during her visit to PHNSY and IMF in Pearl Harbor, Deputy Secretary Hicks was joined by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and U.S. Representative Ed Case. The leaders of the shipyard provided insights into their mission and highlighted the importance of the DoD's strategic investments in public yards. They also showcased the breadth of the DoD's Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan (SIOP), which includes the construction of a new dry dock capable of servicing Virginia-class and future fast-attack submarines.
Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon said that Deputy Secretary Hicks emphasized that the DoD's investment in the construction of the new dry dock at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is unparalleled, setting a new record for military construction projects within the DoD. The project, which will total approximately $3.6 billion, represents a substantial commitment to enhancing the shipyard's capabilities and will support the maintenance of Virginia-class and future fast-attack submarines.
In addition to the monumental construction project, Deputy Secretary Hicks reaffirmed the DoD's commitment to providing competitive job opportunities in Hawaii, at all levels, to retain local talent. She expressed gratitude to lawmakers for their continued support in upgrading the DoD's capabilities and capacity at PHNSY and IMF, according to Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon.
