A multi-year buy of amphibious ships for the U.S. Navy was awarded yesterday after lawmakers pursued the deal last week in Congress, finalizing over a year of effort by the Navy and the Senate Armed Services Committee. The deal, which will fund three San Antonio-class LPDs and one America-class Flight II LHA, will save taxpayers an estimated $1 billion.
Former Secretary of the Navy Mike Gilday first mentioned the idea of a potential multi-year procurement over a year ago in early 2023, following public debate over LPD procurement between the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.
The last attempt to procure amphibious ships in a multi-year contract in 2019 failed after disagreements over cost and requirements, likely due to the switch in 2019 from Flight I San Antonio-class LPDs to Flight II San Antonio-class (Harrisburg-class) LPDs.
The four ship multi-year buy presented to lawmakers by the Navy last month is viewed more optimistically by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and the Senate Armed Services Committee. Acceptance of this block buy would mark the end of a tumultuous history for Flight II San Antonio-class LPDs that were once put into ‘strategic pause‘.
“Today is a great day for American shipbuilding and our Navy’s ability to deter China in the years ahead… …[T]he multi-ship buy of warships is a cost-effective way to provide stability for the industrial base on key shipbuilding programs.”
Press release by Senator Roger Wicker, ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee
This block buy of amphibious warships will bring much-needed stability to the amphibious production line. Paul Roden, chairman of the Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition, explained how the block buy will improve the supply chains that make up America-class and San Antonio-class ships.
“Not only will this block buy save the taxpayers nearly $1 billion, but it will provide over 650 companies across 39 states with the stability we need to invest in our skilled workforce, get ahead of inflation and ensure on time deliveries.”
AWIBC Chairman Paul Roden
The block buy of ships will last through FY2035 with all four ships built at Huntington Ingalls Industries Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS. HII Pascagoula is the sole amphibious shipbuilder of the U.S. Navy.
