Mesa Verde Completes Trials

The Northrop Grumman-built amphibious transport dock ship Mesa Verde (LPD 19) completed builder's trials last week, in a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman. Shipbuilders worked on sea trial preparations weeks before the ship sailed the Gulf of Mexico from Aug. 13 to 16. The ship's compartments were 100 percent complete, and all systems and certifications were completed and tested 100 percent to pre-trial requirements.

Rigorous testing was performed on the ship's main propulsion, communications, steering, navigational, radar and other systems. Other exercises included anchor handling, flight operations, compartment air balancing and ballasting/de-ballasting of the well deck, where amphibious landing craft will be launched. Navy representatives onboard during builder's trials praised the effort and teamwork displayed by Northrop Grumman shipbuilders and Navy personnel.

Next month, the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey team will conduct acceptance trials aboard LPD 19, which will involve more rounds of extensive testing of the ship's major systems. Mesa Verde's mission is to embark, transport and land elements of a landing force in a variety of expeditionary and special operations missions. Mesa Verde is an LPD 17-class ship. The ship is 208.4 meters (684 feet) long, 31.9 meters (105 feet) wide, and will replace the functions of the LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113, and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships. This new ship class affords the Navy's Expeditionary Strike Group with the technology and flexibility to launch and recover amphibious landing craft such as the Landing Craft Air Cushion, operate an array of rotary-wing aircraft, as well as carry and launch the U.S. Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.