KITTERY, Maine (Jan. 29, 2026) – The Honorable Brendan P. Rogers, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment visited Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to review the progress of major infrastructure projects and engage with shipyard leadership and enlisted Sailors.
Demonstrating his top priority of directly supporting the mission, the warfighter, and their families, Honorable Rogers toured PNSY’s installation optimization efforts aimed at accelerating the Nation’s industrial base in the face of increasing strategic competition.
“Building on a legacy of sea power, the men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are modernizing our infrastructure to deliver the world’s greatest attack submarines, fueling the Golden Fleet, and restoring American Maritime Dominance,” said Honorable Rogers.
During his visit, Honorable Rogers met with senior leaders including Acting Shipyard Commander Cmdr. Eric Thurkins, Nuclear Engineering and Planning Manager Steve Fahey, Senior Executive Service, Commodore Submarine Squadron TWO, Capt. Jason Deichler, and Director Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) Russ Gagner. Discussions focused on strategic initiatives aimed at accelerating the Nation’s shipbuilding and maintenance capabilities.
“It’s an honor to welcome Honorable Rogers to the shipyard to see firsthand, how PNSY is working to meet the Nation’s call as the Foundry to achieve operational readiness,” said Thurkins. “PNSY plays an indispensable role in sustaining our Nation’s naval capabilities, and it is our priority as the Navy’s center of excellence for attack submarine maintenance, repair and modernization to deliver the maximum support to our warfighters on the frontlines.”
Honorable Rogers was briefed by Officer in Charge of Construction-Portsmouth Capt. Kenny Sowell on the progress of the $2 billion Multi-Mission Dry Dock, which will double the shipyard's Virginia-class docking capacity.
Honorable Rogers also received an insider’s view of PNSY’s most ambitious improvements, beginning with a tour of the new Paint, Blast, and Rubber facility where he observed major machinery upgrades and the consolidation of the Coatings and Coverings Shop guided by Deputy Officer in Charge of Construction-Portsmouth Nate Maher, Coatings and Coverings Shop Superintendent Dave Veino and Gagner.
“It was a privilege to have Honorable Rogers visit PNSY to see SIOP projects that are increasing the capacity, efficiency, and resiliency of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said Gagner.“It was a fine moment to show him the daily choreography and synchronization between constructing these once-in-a-lifetime infrastructure projects without impacting our ability to perform our primary mission of modernizing the Nation’s fast attack submarine fleet.”
As the Navy’s leader in attack submarine maintenance and modernization, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a cornerstone of the Foundry: The Navy’s shore infrastructure and industrial base required to generate, sustain and modernize naval power. PNSY safely delivers first-time quality work ensuring the Navy is ready to fight and win, now and in the future.