NEWPORT NEWS, Va., August 4, 2000 – Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE: NNS) hosted the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC) University Research and Development Business Forum on August 1, 2000.

In 1998, Virginia Legislation established VASCIC to enhance and promote the quality and competitiveness of Virginia’s shipbuilding industry. Newport News Shipbuilding agreed to build, manage and operate VASCIC.

VASCIC will unite Virginia’s universities, defense contractors, shipbuilders and the U.S. Navy with a common technology goal while creating high-tech jobs that will expand and strengthen the state and local economies.

The forum included representatives from ten Virginia institutions of higher learning:

The daylong forum included speakers from the United States Navy, Lockheed Martin and Newport News Shipbuilding. The speakers provided perspectives on aircraft carrier requirements, program priorities, research and development projects, and testing and evaluation activities.

The keynote speaker, Rear Adm. Mark Gemmill, head of the Aircraft and Carrier Program for the Office of the chief of Naval Operations, reaffirmed his commitment to VASCIC and the Navy’s vision for aircraft carriers in the Information Age. "VASCIC offers a focal point for the integration of systems and for the application of emergent technologies onto future carriers, " said Gemmill.

Irwin F. Edenzon, director, Future Carriers for NNS told the attendees, "VASCIC will help enhance and promote the quality and competitiveness of Virginia's shipbuilding industry, and is an essential element to its continued growth."

Newport News Shipbuilding designs and constructs nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines for the U.S. Navy and provides life-cycle services for ships in the Navy fleet. The company employs nearly 17,000 people and has annual revenues of approximately $2 billion. Visit NNS on the Web at www.nns.com.