The U.S. Navy, on Friday (July 27th 2012), awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $1.5 billion fixed-price incentive contract for the detail design and construction of the amphibious transport dock LPD 27. The ship will be built at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division.
“This contract validates our proven performance in building amphibious ships,” said Doug Lounsberry, vice president, LPD program . “Our shipbuilders have the necessary and unique skills to build these extremely complex warships and meet all Navy expectations. These ships are vital to our nation’s defense, and we are working safely and efficiently to ensure American sailors and Marines have the best product to defend our freedom.”
Ingalls is building the entire San Antonio (LPD 17) class of ships, the newest addition to the Navy’s 21st century amphibious assault force. LPDs are built to be survivable and flexible. The complex, survivable ships enable the services to carry out their missions without constraints or additional assets.
“This investment in survivability is vital to protecting our troops and their equipment and ensuring their ability to fight and win while in harm’s way,” Lounsberry said.
The LPD 17-class ships are 684 feet long and 105 feet wide and displace approximately 25,000 tons. Their principal mission is to deploy the combat and support elements of Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades. The ships can carry up to 800 troops and have the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing crafts, augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft such as the MV-22. The ships will support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.
The 11 ships of the LPD 17 class are a key element of the Navy’s ability to project power ashore. Collectively, they functionally replace more than 41 ships (the LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113 and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships), providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate with 21st century platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, July 30, 2012