The U.S. shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries announced December 4 that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $200 million, advance procurement contract from the U.S. Navy for LPD 28, the 12th amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio (LPD 17) class.
The funds will be used to purchase long-lead-time material and major equipment, including main engines, diesel generators, deck equipment, shafting, propellers, valves and other long-lead systems.
Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said: “This funding demonstrates the priority the Navy places on Ingalls getting started on this important ship. Our shipbuilders have made great strides in the LPD program, and we are performing well. Building LPD 28 is key to maintaining a reliable supplier base and leverages our hot production line, enabling our team of shipbuilders to build this ship and future amphibious warships as efficiently and as affordably as possible.”
The San Antonio class is the latest addition to the Navy’s amphibious assault force. The 684-foot-long (208 meters), 105-foot-wide (32 meters) ships are used to embark and land Marines, their equipment and supplies ashore via air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey.
The ships support a Marine Air Ground Task Force across the spectrum of operations, conducting amphibious and expeditionary missions of sea control and power projection to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
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