Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has received a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to continue providing engineering services related with construction of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R Ford (CVN 78).

Under the $504m extension contract, the company will continue with design-related activities and integration and system analysis for non-propulsion plant work.

Gerald R Ford is the lead ship in the new Ford Class of carriers, which feature a redesigned island and an improved flight deck and weapons handling systems.

The ship will also include newly designed nuclear power plants, increased electrical power generation capacity, allowance for future technologies and reduced workload for sailors.

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division is the prime contractor.

The aircraft carrier is scheduled for launch in 2013 and will be delivered to the US Navy in 2015.