Fairbanks Morse to provide SSDG sets for America-class LHA-9 ship

Fairbanks Morse has announced that it will provide Ship Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) sets for the US Navy’s new America-class amphibious assault ship. 

The yet-to-be-named Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA-9) ship is being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division.  

Construction of the SSDG sets is expected to commence next year. Delivery to HII will start in 2023 for installation on the ship’s electric power generation system. 

In May this year, HII was awarded a contract for the material and advance procurement activities for LHA 9.  

The LHA ships are 844ft-long and will be the biggest amphibious warfare ships. The vessels will have a displacement of over 44,000t.  

Fairbanks Morse CEO George Whittier said: “Marine engines and power generation for today’s high-tech armed forces requires manufacturing excellence and technical innovation that never fails.

“In a globalised world with growing demand for energy, we are proud to continue our partnership with the US Navy and Huntington Ingalls Industries to ensure the highest standards of critical power support at sea and to help America’s service men and women carry out their missions at home and abroad.”  

The US Navy currently has a need for 38 amphibious ships, which includes 12 amphibious assault ships.  

Like the other vessels in the fleet, USS America (LHA-6), USS Tripoli (LHA-7), and USS Bougainville (LHA-8), this vessel will also feature diesel engine-driven electrical power generation system.  

USS Tripoli was commissioned earlier this year.

In 2017, the US Navy awarded a $3bn contract to HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division for the detail design and construction of the third America-class large-deck amphibious LHA 8 warship.