Advancing in strengthening its amphibious assault capabilities, the U.S. Navy announced that Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has recently launched the fourteenth ship of the San Antonio class, the first configured under the Flight II standard. Specifically, the event took place after the future USS Harrisburg (LPD-30) was transported by rail to a floating dry dock, where it was subsequently launched into the waters of the Mississippi River.
In this regard, Karl Wilkinson, president of the Ingalls Shipbuilding division, stated: “We view this launch as an important step toward delivering our partners in the Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps’ capability, and a reminder of the importance of supporting national security. As shipbuilders, we are dedicated to this mission.”
In line with this, it is important to remember that HII is currently not only in the final stages of constructing the launched vessel but is also actively constructing the future USS Pittsburgh (LPD-31) and is in the planning phase for the third San Antonio Flight II, which will be named USS Philadelphia (LPD 32).
It is also necessary to mention that, after a pause in acquisitions to evaluate costs and capabilities of the program, the U.S. Navy decided to expand the original contract to acquire three additional new ships of the class, namely: LPD-33, 34, and 35. In addition to the construction of a new large-deck amphibious ship of the America class, the contract amounts to $9.6 billion.
Diving into details regarding the planned delivery rhythms, Tom Rivers, the executive director of amphibious, auxiliary, and maritime transportation programs for the Navy’s program executive office, stated last month: “In our negotiations with Huntington Ingalls, we wanted to ensure that we had the workforce to build these ships in the sequence we are looking to do, which is a cadence of two per year in the LPDs and a cadence of four years in the LHAs.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Eric Austin of the Marine Corps expressed that progress on this new contract would allow for the gradual retirement of the older ships of the Navy currently fulfilling these roles (Harpers Ferry/Whidbey Island class): “What this acquisition of several ships allows us to do is retire some of the older ships as we replace them in the coming years and maintain that base of 31 amphibious ships… that’s 10 large-deck amphibious and 21 LPDs. [That] is where we believe we need to maintain our amphibious base. Basically, it’s one in, one out… that’s what we’re going to have to do. Congress has asked us to report annually to ensure that we are maintaining that proper balance for the amphibious.”
Cover image: Huntington Ingalls
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