Norfolk Naval Shipyard looks to cut carrier overhaul times amid continued submarine concerns

Norfolk Naval Shipyard is looking to reduce the time it takes to finish work on carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower, shown here, entering the yard. (US Navy)

Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia expects to reduce in-yard overhaul times for aircraft carriers but will face continued hurdles for work on Virginia-class submarines, according to Rear Admiral Kavon Hakimzadeh, the shipyard's new commander.

Noting that the current carrier now in for its Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) – USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) – is slated to finish the overhaul after 15 months in 2026, Rear Adm Hakimzadeh told Janes during a 26 August 2025 interview at the shipyard, “I'm confident we'll deliver that aircraft carrier on time. We're going to beat that [time]. So far [the] team is on track to do just that.”

His plan is to cut availability durations by at least 30%, he said.

The US Navy (USN) is looking to keep as many ships as possible starting in 2027 to accommodate growing Chinese threat concerns. Those yard time reductions are imperative to meet this potential threat, Rear Adm Hakimzadeh said.

Recently, the USN has seen some availability-work delays. For example, USS George Washington (CVN 73) entered refuelling complex overhaul (RCOH) on the Virginia waterfront in August 2017 and completed it in May 2023.

For more information on carrier work funding concerns, please see Pentagon Budget 2026: US Navy requests funding to cover aircraft carrier overhaul cost increases .