Keel laid for US Navy’s LPD 29
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has begun construction of the US Navy's 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, the future USS Richard M McCool Jr (LPD 29), NAVSEA announced on 12 April.
Fabrication on LPD 29 began in July 2018 and the vessel is scheduled to be delivered in 2023. LPD 28 and 29 will serve as transition ships to LPD 30, the first ship of the Flight II class. LPD 17 Flight II ships will replace the navy's aging LSD 41/49 class ships.
The LPD 17 San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships have been designed to transport and deploy combat and support elements of marine expeditionary units and brigades. The will support amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Coast Guard enhances Arctic protection with a new Fast Response Cutter
After commissioning, FRC Frederick Mann will operate in Alaska and perform multiple missions.
-
US Coast Guard announces measures to further implement Force Design 2028 strategy
The US Coast Guard (USCG) created new units, including five Programme Executive Offices (PEOs), to facilitate and speed up the procurement of new capabilities.
-
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.