Huntington Ingalls Industries announced yesterday, November 5, that the amphibious transport dock Arlington (LPD 24) returned from successful U.S. Navy acceptance sea trials on Friday. The company’s eighth ship in the LPD 17 class returned to Pascagoula following three days of at-sea demonstrations and testing.
“We have now completed successful sea trials on eight LPDs, and our sea trial team continues to perform magnificently,” said Doug Lounsberry, Ingalls’ vice president of the LPD program . “Our shipbuilders, and specifically the LPD 24 team, did an outstanding job in getting this ship prepared for this trial. We have a hot production line associated with the LPD program, and through our new build strategies and planning processes, more outfitting is taking place in the shops, which improves our efficiency. We will continue this trend as the premier builder of amphibious ships for the U.S. Navy.”
While at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) observed more than 200 test events demonstrated on the ship by Ingalls’ test and trials team. The team thoroughly tested ship systems such as anchor handling, flight operations, steering, navigation, and ballasting and de-ballasting the well deck. The team also performed a full power demonstration.
“We have a good working relationship with Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP) Gulf Coast, and together, we had a very good sea trial,” said Richard Schenk, Ingalls’ vice president of test and trials . “LPD 24 is a great ship, and she performed well for INSURV. We even had an opportunity to steam in formation with Anchorage (LPD 23) while at sea. It takes a great deal of logistical planning to pull off such a successful trial, and I would like to congratulate the Ingalls and SUPSHIP teams for making this a success.”
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.
Ingalls has delivered seven ships in the class and has four more in various stages of construction, including Arlington (LPD 24), which will be commissioned next spring.
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. These ships will support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, November 6, 2012; Image: US Navy