HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced the delivery of the amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) to the US Navy – the 13th vessel of the San Antonio-class ships built by Ingalls.
The US Navy acquired the San Antonio-class amphibious ship from HII in 2006. According to GlobalData’s “US Defence Market 2023-2028” report, the US Navy has 12 active units.
Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said: “The LPD 29 delivery demonstrates how our shipbuilders are enabling our combined Navy and Marine Corps team.”
LPD 29’s completion is the culmination of craftsmanship but also serves as a prelude to Ingalls Shipbuilding’s shift towards the production of the LPD Flight II line. Two Flight II LPDs are currently under construction, and plans are in place for future endeavours.
HII continues to bolster the US Navy’s fleet with San Antonio-Class amphibious transport dock ships. The eighth vessel, Arlington (LPD 24), was delivered in December 2012. Following suit, HII delivered Somerset (LPD 25) in October 2013. Moving on, the US Navy witnessed the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) commissioning in July 2022.
Concurrently, construction of Harrisburg (LPD 30) began, introducing Flight II LPDs designed to replace older classes. Initiatives like the fabrication of USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31) and the advance procurement contract for LPD 32 demonstrate HII’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the US Navy with such capabilities.
The San Antonio-class ships, including LPD 29, play a role in the US Marine Corps’ Force Design construct, offering capabilities for crisis response, special operations, and expeditionary warfare missions. With the ability to operate independently or as part of larger task forces, these vessels maintain regional stability and safeguard national security interests.
