Aug. 26—SOMERSET, Pa. — When two U.S. Olympic gold medalists join U.S. Navy officials on Saturday to mark the assembly launch of a new high-tech aircraft carrier, employees from a Somerset County defense company will be watching, too.

Many of them will be viewing via livestream at Global/SFC Valve's Cannery Road facility — a fitting choice given that much of the nuclear-powered warship's development process was conducted online during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Navy officials have said.

And the 50-employee crew at Global was among 2,000 companies nationwide that played a role in the project, creating valves for the soon-to-be-built vessel, Global Inc. training facilitator Sherry Abel said.

"This is the first warship we've been a part of in this class," she said, referring to the USS Enterprise. "It's pretty major for us."

Supporting the Navy and its fleet, however, is nothing new for the Somerset company, which has been developing parts for the defense branch for 35 years, she added.

But this contract stands out because it also enabled the company to position itself for future work, company President Linda Heining said.

"The multi-ship contract of CVN-80 and -81 helped save jobs at our company and enabled us to invest in equipment used for aircraft-carrier components," she said.

In January 2019, the U.S. Navy signed a two-ship buy contract for two Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, the Enterprise (CVN-80) and the Doris Miller (CVN-81). CVN-80 is the third Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy reported in a release to media.

Designed to replace Nimitz- class aircraft carriers, the Ford class of aircraft carriers features a new nuclear power plant, a redesigned island, electromagnetic catapults, improved weapons movement, an enhanced flight deck capable of increased aircraft sortie rates, and growth margin for future technologies.

Heining said she is hopeful future contracts will also be designed for "multi-ship" projects and buys, adding that it's a more cost-effective solution.

"We've learned that's best for the Navy, industry and taxpayer," she said.

Abel said valves created for the ship weighed up to several hundred pounds apiece. Some were a fraction of that size, she added.

Those parts are now supplied to the Newport News Shipbuilding Division, which will oversee the vessel's assembly. The "HII" division handles nuclear-powered warship projects.

The Virginia ceremony isn't open to the public, but is being livestreamed Saturday. U.S. Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, a gymnast, and Katie Ledecky, a swimmer, will participate as ship's sponsors.