Newport News Shipbuilding Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, is the sole builder of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of two nuclear submarine builders. Workers were massively exposed to asbestos during construction of the Navy's largest warships from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Last verified: 2026-03-09Founded in 1886, Newport News Shipbuilding is the largest industrial employer in Virginia and the only yard capable of building nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Now a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the yard has built every Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class carrier. Asbestos was used extensively in all vessel classes, with aircraft carriers requiring enormous quantities of insulation and fireproofing materials.
The sheer scale of aircraft carrier construction at Newport News meant workers encountered asbestos in massive quantities. Carriers required miles of asbestos-insulated piping and extensive fireproofing throughout their compartments. Insulators, pipe fitters, and welders worked in the deep below-deck spaces of carriers and submarines where asbestos fiber concentrations were dangerously high. Nuclear submarine work added additional confined-space exposure hazards.
The following job categories at Newport News Shipbuilding had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:
Newport News Shipbuilding workers have experienced some of the highest mesothelioma rates of any industrial workforce in the United States. The yard's enormous workforce and the scale of asbestos used in aircraft carrier and submarine construction created a massive exposure population. Thousands of former workers have filed asbestos-related claims over the past several decades.
Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Newport News Shipbuilding may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.
3 asbestos trust funds have been identified as potentially related to exposure at this site. Many mesothelioma patients qualify to file claims with multiple trusts simultaneously.
Find Out If You QualifyWorkers who were employed at Newport News Shipbuilding between 1940s–1970s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Newport News Shipbuilding may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:
If you were exposed to asbestos at Newport News Shipbuilding and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in Virginia may be able to help.
Yes. Massive quantities of asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, fireproofing, and turbine wrapping were used in aircraft carriers, submarines, and other vessels built at Newport News Shipbuilding from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Insulators, pipe fitters, welders, nuclear workers, and boilermakers had the highest exposure, particularly those working deep below decks on aircraft carriers and in confined submarine compartments.
Yes. Former workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis from exposure at Newport News Shipbuilding may pursue compensation through asbestos trust funds and legal proceedings against manufacturers.
Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, VA is a documented asbestos exposure site. Workers in the naval aircraft carrier & submarine construction industry were exposed to asbestos-containing materials from the 1940s through the 1970s. Former workers diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases may be eligible for compensation.
If you or a loved one worked at Newport News Shipbuilding and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options. There is no cost, no pressure, and no obligation.
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