Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has delivered the eighth San Antonio-Class amphibious transport dock ship, Arlington (LPD 24), to the US Navy following the completion of successful acceptance trials.
During the trials, the 684ft-long ship validated systems, including its main propulsion engineering and ship controls, combat and communications and damage control.
Powered by four Colt-Pielstick 2.5 STC diesel engines to cruise at a speed of 22k, the LPD 24 can transport air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing crafts, as well as helicopters and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
The LPD 17-Class ships will replace more than 41 vessels that are currently in-service with the US Navy, which include Austin-Class (LPD 4), Anchorage-Class (LSD 36), Charleston-Class (LKA 113) and Newport-Class (LST 1179) amphibious ships.
Capable of carrying a crew of up to 800 people, the 24,900t vessel features an advanced command-and-control suite and enhanced survivability capabilities.
Launched in November 2010, the vessel is equipped with the AN/SLQ-25A Nixie towed decoy system and the mk53 Nulka decoy launching system.
The ship is also integrated with an AN/SPS-48E three-dimensional air search radar, AN/APQ-9B surface surveillance and tracking radar, AN/SPS-64(V)9 navigation radar and two Norden Systems AN/SPS-73 surface search radars.
Designed to support amphibious assaults, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions, the San Antonio-Class vessels are armed with mk46 mod 2 30mm guns for close-in surface self-defence systems.
The ship’s weapon systems also include two mk26 mod 18 50-calibre machine guns and two mk31 mod 0 launchers, which are capable of launching the Raytheon-built fire-and-forget rolling airframe missile (RAM).
Image: US Navy’s San Antonio-Class ship, Arlington (LPD 24), in formation with Anchorage (LPD 23) while at sea. Photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
