A Public Private Partnership Agreement has been signed by the U.S. Navy for supply of solid rocket motors, propulsion, tactical warheads.

The partnership was signed by the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, or NSWC IHEODTD, and Nammo Energetics Indian Head.

"The Public Private Partnership Agreement is a unique opportunity for Nammo to become part of the U.S. National Technology Industrial Base, says Morten Brandtzæg, chief executive officer of the Nammo Group. "Our priority number one will be to create a sustainable and highly competitive operation at Indian Head (Md.) with a strong focus on our core capabilities and competences - creating jobs in Maryland."

Nammo Energetics Indian Head is a relatively new company of Nammo Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of the Norway headquartered Nammo group.

Under the agreement, Nammo and the Navy will jointly conduct manufacturing operations.

Naamo said it will make a significant capital investment in facilities, equipment and human resources at the Indian Head facility to establish a state-of-the-art capability modeled after current Nammo operations elsewhere.

"The Navy relies on IHEODTD for a broad set of critical energetic and EOD capabilities," said NSWC IHEODTD Technical Director Ashley Johnson. "Maintaining our readiness level requires a significant amount of resources that are increasingly difficult to realize in the current fiscal environment.

Under this 30-year partnership, Nammo Energetics Indian Head will address under-utilized capacity in our Cast Plant to manufacture rocket motors and warheads."

In addition to rocket motor and warheads, the company will also provide the Navy with Demilitarization services.

Ingalls Shipbuiding begins building new destroyer
Pascagoula, Miss. (UPI) Jan 27, 2017 - Ingalls Shipbuilding has officially begun fabrication on a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) for the U.S. Navy.

The official start of fabrication means the first 100 tons of steel have been cut for the vessel.

"Starting fabrication on another destroyer is a great way to start the year," Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. "Ingalls has delivered 29 of these ships to the U.S. Navy, and our hot production line continues to improve the construction process.

"The ships are tremendous assets to our country's fleet, and we look forward to delivering another quality destroyer to the Navy."

The ship's is named in honor of Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee, the first woman to receive the Navy Cross and second superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps in January 1911.

Ingalls Shipbuiding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, now has five Arleigh Burke-class

destroyers under construction under a 2013 five-ship contract.