Faulty welds on US submarines and aircraft carriers, congressmen ask the navy to explain

Some details about the issue were released on September 27, including the potential risks to American sailors serving on the affected ships, according to the Navy Times .

In a statement late on September 27, HII, the company that owns Newport News Shipyard in Virginia, said it had discovered "through internal reports that some welders intentionally broke certain welding procedures."

The US Navy's Virginia-class submarines were delivered to HII's Newport News shipyard in 2022.

"Based on our initial investigation, there was no indication of malicious intent. Upon discovery, we acted to contact our customers and regulatory authorities, investigate, identify the root cause, resolve the issue, and implement immediate corrective actions as we pursue longer-term solutions," HII emphasized.

HII's statement did not include further information about corrective actions or long-term solutions that were implemented.

In a joint statement on September 27, Republican and Democratic lawmakers who head the House Armed Services Committee called reports of faulty welds "deeply concerning."

" The Department of Defense needs to immediately provide our committee with answers and a plan on how they will protect U.S. Navy ships from being tampered with," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (Republican) and committee member Adam Smith (Democrat) emphasized in a joint statement.

A senior member of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Maritime Power and Forecasting said that members "have been in close contact with naval leaders to determine the scope and severity of the weld quality issue."

"Whenever there are welding defects on naval vessels and submarines, the safety of the crews serving on board is jeopardized and the readiness of these vessels is hampered. Navy leaders must release the results of their investigation in a timely manner in the coming weeks," emphasized Joe Courtney, a senior member of the subcommittee.

The U.S. Navy said on September 27 that it "is aware of the issue and is conducting a thorough assessment to determine its scope."

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