Debate continues regarding future amphibious ship force

摘要

With the contract to build the first example of the type having been awarded in April 2019, politicians in the US are weighing up the acquisition of more examples of the Flight Ⅱ LPD, and of another new class of amphibious assault vessel, the LHA-9 Huntington Ingalls Industries announced on 26 March that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division had been awarded a US$1.47 billion, fixed-price incentive contract from the US Navy for detailed design and construction of the amphibious transport dock LPD 30. The ship will be the 14th in the San Antonio class and the first Flight Ⅱ LPD. Ingalls highlighted the fact that the LFD Flight Ⅱ builds upon the significant investment that has been made in the platform to improve the capability and flexibility of the US Navy and Marine Corps. "LPD 30 will leverage a hot production line and further benefit from the investments we continue to make in our shipbuilders and facilities," said the company. LPD 30 is an evolved version of the LPD 17 dock landing platform and, like the first 13 ships in the class, will be used to undertake a range of military operations, from combat to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Ingalls has delivered 11 San Antonio class LPD 17s to the US Navy and has two more under construction. Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) will be launched in 2020 and delivered in 2021; the keel for Richard M McCool Jr (LPD 29) will be laid later this year. Fabrication of LPD 30 is due to start in 2020.