NAVSEA press release
Builder’s trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the Navy and the shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding Division to assess the ship’s systems and readiness prior to Acceptance trials and delivery to the Navy.
“The completion of Builder’s trials is a great first step in ensuring operational readiness of the vessel and the capabilities it will soon bring to the fleet,” said Capt. Scot Searles, San Antonio Class Program Office, program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The collaboration between the Navy and our industry partners ensures that we’ll have a capable and ready ship for our Sailors.”
The San Antonio-class is designed to support embarking, transporting, and landing Marines and their equipment by conventional or air-cushioned landing craft. The ship’s capabilities are further enhanced by its flight deck and hangar, enabling the ship to operate a variety of Marine Corps helicopters and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22). Because of the ships inherent capabilities, they are able to support a variety of amphibious assault, special operations, expeditionary warfare, or disaster relief missions, operating independently or as part of Amphibious Readiness Groups (ARGs), Expeditionary Strike Groups, or Joint Task Forces.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding Division is currently in production of the future USS Richard S. McCool (LPD 29) and the future USS Harrisburg (LPD 30). LPD 28 and 29 will serve as transition ships to LPD 30 – the first LPD 17 Flight II ship.
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft.
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Naval News comments:
Ingalls Shipbuilding launched the future USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) in April 2020. The ship started sea trials October 19th at Pascagoula. It is the 12th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship for the U.S. Navy. It features a number of modifications compared to earlier ships of the class. For example it is fitted with a simple mast (similar to the DDG 51 class mast) in place of the “stealth mast” design, for affordability reasons. Ingalls Shipbuilding is also in production on the future USS Richard M. McCool (LPD 29) and Harrisburg (LPD 30). LPD 28 and 29 will serve as transition ships to LPD 30, the first LPD 17 Flight II ship.
LPD 28 Specifications
Propulsion: Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 hp (30 MW)
Length: 208.5 m (684 ft.) overall
Beam: 31.9 m (105 ft.) extreme
Displacement: 25,000 tons full
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h)
Crew: 32 Officers, 34 CPO/SNCO, and 330 Enlisted
Embarked: Marine Expeditionary Force of 60 Officers, 38 CPO/SNCO, and 552 Enlisted
Aircraft: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters and two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously
Boats and Landing craft: Two LCACs, one LCU and 14 AAVs
Armament: Two 30 mm Bushmaster II cannons, for surface threat defense; two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers for air defense
