The Navy has a weight problem, and JA Moody has part of the solution. Our new lightweight Lexair gears help reduce ship weight while maintaining strength and reliability where it matters most. Catch the full story below, along with more key company updates!
Engineering a Lighter Future for the U.S. Navy
In recent coverage, the U.S. Navy’s upcoming Constellation-class frigates were reported to be approximately 759 metric tons (about 13%) overweight, raising concerns about speed, survivability, and adaptability over their service life.
At JA Moody, we partner with leading American manufacturers to deliver high-performance, lightweight flow control components that directly address these challenges:
New Lightweight Gear for Lexair Butterfly Valves (2.5–5″)
- 25% lighter than standard gears, reducing weight without compromising strength.
- Navy qualified and ready for deployment in critical maritime systems.
Why This Matters
- Weight reductions like these free up critical displacement, helping to preserve top speed, extend mission capability, and allow for future upgrades.
- Even seemingly small savings per valve assemblies can add significant weight relief across a ship’s systems.
Be part of the solution. Let’s build a lighter, stronger fleet—together.
Hanwha Philly Shipyard
On June 26, ASSA and MMA hosted a joint event at the shipyard, with the State of Maine in the background, a powerful symbol of American shipbuilding potential.
This was a great opportunity to gain insight into the yard’s capabilities and their aspirations to support U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs.
Maine Maritime Academy is scheduled to take possession of the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), TS State of Maine, in September 2025.
The $350 million NSMV is the third of five commissioned by the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) being built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The vessel’s sea trials started the next day! We were fortunate to get a tour of the ship!
We also appreciated their commitment to the Ships for America Act and what it means for strengthening our industrial base.
Proud to stand with industry leaders working to keep our fleet strong.
Ready for the Mission: Why the Pentagon Is Rethinking “Just-in-Time” Logistics
Faced with the risks of a fragile global supply chain, the U.S. military is shifting from a lean “just-in-time” model to a resilient, hybrid approach that relies on strategic partnerships with technical distributors to ensure naval readiness.
Over the past several decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Navy have fundamentally altered their logistics philosophy. The Cold War-era mindset of maintaining massive, costly stockpiles of spare parts to ensure mission readiness gave way to a fiscally prudent “just-in-time” (JIT) model.
While JIT reduced waste and saved taxpayer dollars by relying on commercial supply chains, today’s landscape of great power competition and fragile global supply lines has exposed its inherent risks, prompting a shift toward a more resilient, hybrid approach that values both strategic inventory and the extension of component life.
The primary advantage of the old “mountain of iron” system was immediate readiness; a deployed warship had access to a vast government inventory, minimizing downtime. However, this system was incredibly expensive, with high warehousing costs and parts often becoming obsolete. The JIT philosophy corrected this by treating inventory as a liability, but it also created a critical vulnerability: an over-reliance on a stable, predictable global supply chain that no longer exists.
This vulnerability is most acute with critical, long-lead-time components. Specialized valves, for instance, can take 300-500 days to manufacture. A JIT failure here could sideline a multi-billion-dollar warship for over a year, a crippling blow to national security. This is where knowledgeable, technical distributors like JA Moody become essential partners for the DoD, Navy, MSC, and USCG.
These distributors are not mere vendors; they are integrated supply chain and service experts who bridge the gap between readiness and efficiency. They create a strategic buffer by holding inventory of long-lead-time items on behalf of the DoD, mitigating risk without the full government expense.
Crucially, some also provide expert service and repair that can dramatically extend the life of key components. By servicing a critical valve, for example, they can return it to full operational status in a fraction of the time and at a lower cost than procuring a new replacement. This capability puts less strain on domestic supply chains, saves the taxpayer dollars, and directly increases mission readiness by getting assets back in service faster. Their deep technical expertise is also vital for solving complex supply chain problems, such as finding replacements for obsolete parts on legacy vessels.
This partnership is a national security imperative, especially as the U.S. confronts the urgent need to revitalize its shipbuilding capacity. In WWII, America launched ships daily; today, its output is dwarfed by competitors like China, which now boasts a shipbuilding capacity over 200 times that of the U.S. As maritime expert Sal Mercogliano often emphasizes, this industrial disparity is a strategic threat.
To rapidly scale and build the next-generation fleet, the U.S. cannot afford supply chain delays. A robust domestic industrial base, supported by strong distribution partners who can anticipate needs and ensure a steady flow of new and serviced materials, is fundamental. In this new era, companies like JA Moody are key enablers, ensuring the fleet is both fiscally sound and always ready for the mission.
Contact us today (sales@jamoody.com or Ppeczerski@jamoody.com) to discuss and understand how we can help!
The Hellan Strainer Company Hose Reels
JA Moody is proud to distribute American-made hose reels from The Hellan Strainer Company—based in Cleveland and the #1 choice of the U.S. Navy!
Hellan AFFF reels are custom-designed for specific spaces aboard each class ship of the United States Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, with over 50 years of supply. Hellan hose reels and assemblies are built to the highest quality standards and in accordance with MIL Specs MIL-R-24414D and MIL-R-24580.
Our New General Manager of West Coast Services – California
We’re excited to welcome Craig Horton to the Moody Marine Service team as our new General Manager of West Coast Services – California.
Craig will be partnering with shipyards and commercial mariners to help get ships to sea, mission-ready, and safely home again.
Need a quote or have a project? Contact Craig via email: chorton@moodymarinesvc.com.
Celebrating Our Amazing Team
Great service starts with a great team. We believe in supporting a culture where people thrive—and today, we’re honored to recognize these incredible team members who’ve been a vital part of that vision:
- Scott Gardner (15 years)
- Mark Haas (2 Years)
- Layla Croley (2 Years)
- John Heffernan (1 year)
- Dillon Yates (1 year)
- Nakobi Alleyne (1 year)
- Jose Salamanca (1 year)
Congratulations, and thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!
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