Fourth LPD 17 Class Amphibious Transport Dock Launched

By PEO Ships Communications

The future USS Green Bay LPD 20 was launched this week from the building ways at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Avondale Operations. The fourth amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio class entered the Mississippi River on August 11. Green Bay’s launching represents important progress since Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area less than a year ago. With many of the shipyard’s workers still living in trailers or Camp Katrina," temporary living quarters” the ship was launched with 208 units welded and 166 tanks completed. Work will now continue in more than 900 compartments while progressing toward Electronic System Light Off this fall.

Named for Green Bay, WI, USS Green Bay will be an important element in future expeditionary strike groups, providing improved warfighting capabilities including an advanced command-and-control suite, increased lift-capability in vehicle and cargo-carrying capacity and advanced ship-survivability features. The ship will serve as an effective sea based platform for the Marines projecting power ashore through the mobility triad of high speed landing craft air cushion (LCAC), the expeditionary fighting vehicle (EFV) and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22). At Green Bay’s recent christening ceremony General Robert Magnus, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, summarized it best, "She will take 800 combat Marines in peace and war to do the nation's bidding.” USS Green Bay will enter her homeport of San Diego, CA in 2008. Green Bay’s sister ships are also making progress. New Orleans (LPD 18) and Mesa Verde (LPD 19) continue toward Builder’s Trials while USS San Antonio (LPD 17) is underway conducting Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials. The future USS New York (LPD 21) will be the next LPD launched while initial construction has started on San Diego LPD 22. Source: NAVSEA