HII Ingalls to build four more amphibious ships under $9.6 billion in contracts
An aerial view of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding with USS Richard M. McCool, Jr (LPD 29) departing for commissioning and Bougainville (LHA 8) under construction. (Photo: HII)
Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of HII, will build three more San Antonio-class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) amphibious ships and another America-class Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) amphibious ship under new contracts announced on 24 September.
The San Antonio-class contract is worth US$5.8 billion for detail, design and construction (DD&C) of three Flight II standard ships, specifically LPD 33, LPD 34 and LPD 35.
The America-class contract has been valued at $3.7 billion and will support the advance procurement of long-lead-time material procurement, DD&C and special studies for LHA 10.
To date, Ingalls has delivered 13 San Antonio-class ships and 15 large-deck amphibious ships to the US Navy.
The LHA production line includes the construction of Bougainville (LHA 8) and Fallujah (LHA 9) and there are two Flight II LPDs under construction, Harrisburg (LPD 30) and Pittsburgh (LPD 31).
The first America-class ship was commissioned in 2014 and the second in 2020 with both described as Flight 0 and featuring a design based on the final ship of the Wasp-class LHDs, USS Makin Island.
In March 2023, Ingalls was awarded a modification to the contract for the DD&C of Philadelphia (LPD 32), the 16th ship in the San Antonio-class.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
San Antonio LPD 17 Flight II [USN]
LHA Replacement Programme [USN]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
Swedish navy moves to final phase of Blekinge-class sub production with new Saab order
Saab Kockums was initially awarded the contract to build two A26 submarines for the Royal Swedish Navy in 2015, but the programme has faced delays and escalating costs.
-
Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice
If the foreign military sale request is approved, Germany would be the first country outside the US to acquire the technology, which is currently used extensively by the US Navy.
-
Beyond GPS: How LEO satellites are changing the game in naval navigation
Satellite navigation is increasingly critical for global maritime defence, and Low Earth Orbit satellites are rapidly overtaking the traditional and more widely used Medium Earth Orbit option as they are less susceptible to jamming or spoofing.