Photo: Courtesy U.S. Navy-This ship is similar to the class to be built in Mississippi.
PASCAGOULA, Miss.–Ingalls announced last year they would need plenty more workers before too long, but just how many people will be needed to build five big battleships in the next four years is unclear. The Mississippi coast shipbuilder was awarded a Navy contract this week that will be worth nearly $3.4 billion.
The same day that contract was announced came Monday’s announcement that CertainTeed will certainly reopen its Meridian facility, bringing a $24 million investment to Lauderdale County and over 100 jobs back that had been lost when the building materials manufacturer shut down in 2009.
“This is what puts Mississippi in the top ten of economic development in states nation-wide,” said Gov. Phil Bryant just after the CertainTeed announcement. That was before the Ingalls announcement. Bryant has been pushing for economic growth in the state and was on hand last week for several other announcements of new companies or expansions that will increase jobs.
A news release from Ingalls said the ships that will be constructed are the DDG destroyers, Arleigh-Burke class, that are in high demand by the Navy.
The contract means jobs in that industry will be ensured for possibly the next ten years. The company had already planned to hire some 2,400 workers this year and has been recruiting at job fairs and online across the state and the country.
The destroyers to be built at Ingalls are multi-functional and will be capable of many missions.
