LPD 17 Completes Acceptance Trials

Acceptance Trials of the future USS San Antonio, lead ship of the LPD 17 class, were conducted Jun 27-30, and witnessed by the Board of Inspection and Survey. "The completion of Acceptance Trials is a major step towards bringing LPD 17 into the fleet, and we look forward to ship delivery later this month," said Rear Adm. Charles Hamilton, the program executive officer for Ships. "LPD 17 and her sister ships will add tremendous capabilities to the fleet for our Sailors and Marines. This class will be a vital component of our Nation's ability to provide sea-based power anywhere on the globe in support of the Global War on Terror."

As the final milestone prior to ship delivery, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) successfully demonstrated a variety of systems including main propulsion, engineering and ship control systems, combat systems, damage control, food service, and crew support. During all phases of the trial, the multi-dimensional capabilities of the Shipboard Wide Area Network, which is the "electronic backbone" of the ship, were also demonstrated.

The shipbuilder continues working compartment completion and certification tasks needed to complete LPD 17. Delivery to the Navy is anticipated later this month. San Antonio will be commissioned in Ingleside, Texas, and homeported in Norfolk, Va. Four other ships of the class are currently under construction at the NGSS facilities in Avondale, La., and in Pascagoula, Miss.

The San Antonio class will transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies, by embarked air cushion or conventional landing craft or Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical take off and landing aircraft. Each ship will support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and will be integral parts of Expeditionary Strike Groups through the first half of the 21st Century.