Long lead items are already being awarded for the LPD-27. On the down low the USMC got its full allotment of these ships.Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems division in San Diego has been awarded $55 million to help provide advanced electronics for LPD 27, a planned San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warship. The 684-foot vessels are designed to carry and land Marines, as well as amphibious assault vehicles. They are among the toughest troop carriers ever built.The Defense Department says Raytheon will work on the ship's control, navigation and communications systems, and search sensors. Much of the work involves integrating the complex systems carried aboard such vessels.Two of these ships -- the New Orleans and Green Bay -- are home-ported in San Diego. And the newly built San Diego is scheduled to operate out of San Diego Bay.
Interesting.
With the capability that we've seen for these ships to operate MANY more helicopters than the ships that they're replacing (they're almost a mini-LHD) I'm finally understanding why there wasn't a bigger roar from HQMC when it came to the Navy reducing the number of amphibs.
If these ships can be made to operate reliably then the Secretary of the Navy's view that a smaller Navy doesn't mean a less capable one will be borne out....at least in the Gator Navy that is.
Chart via Wikipedia.
Ships of the class
| Name | Number | Launched | Home port | Status | ||
| San Antonio | LPD-17 | 12 July 2003 | Norfolk, Virginia | Active | ||
| New Orleans | LPD-18 | 11 December 2004 | San Diego, California | Active | ||
| Mesa Verde | LPD-19 | 19 November 2004 | Norfolk, Virginia | Active | ||
| Green Bay | LPD-20 | 11 August 2006 | San Diego, California | Active | ||
| New York | LPD-21 | 19 December 2007 | Norfolk, Virginia | Active | ||
| San Diego | LPD-22 | 7 May 2010 | Under construction | |||
| Anchorage | LPD-23 | 12 February 2011 | Under construction | |||
| Arlington | LPD-24 | 23 November 2010 | Under construction | |||
| Somerset | LPD-25 | Under construction | ||||
| John P. Murtha | LPD-26 | Under construction[7] | ||||
| LPD-27 | Materials being purchased[8] |
I didn't know John P. Murtha was a city. I won't tell you what I thought a John P Murtha was.
ReplyDeleteI know the guys who man the SA class like alot about it, and have heard good things about how the Marines who've been aboard them appreciate the accomodations. It'll take a while to get the stigma of the San Antonio's first in class teething problems and the New York's QC issues behind them.
Just don't ask a builder/pipefitter what he thinks of a ship built in another shipyard. Everyone of them thinks the other yards are incompetent. I toured the G W Bush about three years ago in Norfolk with reps from a couple of other shipyards. Mee-yow.
too funny. i'm not surprised though. rivalries are a good thing ....but those ship builders play hardball!
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