NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 23, 2001 – Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE:NNS) was awarded a contract from Patriot Holdings LLC on May 22, 2001 for repairs to the sealift ship USNS Gilliland. The ship is scheduled to arrive on May 29 for a month-long availability. Major work items include preservation of freeboard and topside area, regulatory inspections of valves, shafting, and tanks, lifeboat fall renewal, and other miscellaneous work items. Work is expected to be complete by June 30, 2001. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

In 1993, Newport News was awarded the contract to convert two containerships into combined roll-on, roll-off (RO/RO) ships that carry U.S. Army equipment, vehicles and supplies. Gilliland was the second of the two converted ships. A ceremony held on May 24, 1997 marked the official naming of the ship.

Gilliland was named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Charles L. Gilliland, United States Army. Gilliland won the nation's highest military award for demonstrating valor in the Korean War in 1951. He was fatally wounded, at age 18, while defending his company positions against enemy attacks. Born in Baxter County, Arkansas, Gilliland was assigned to the U.S. Army’s Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

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.