Program Summary
LPDs are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22). These ships support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups. These ships perform a variety of expeditionary warfare missions and are designed to operate independently or as part of Amphibious Task Force (ATF), Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG), Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), or Joint Task Force (JTF).
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| SAN DIEGO (April 21, 2014) The amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) arrives at its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Eric Coffer/Released |
The ships of the San Antonio (LPD 17) class are a key element of the Navy’s seabase transformation. The LPD 17 San Antonio-class is the functional replacement of over 41 ships from the following: LPD 4 Austin-class, LSD 36 Anchorage-class, LKA 113 Charleston-class, and LST 1179 Newport-class amphibious ships.)
Each ship encompasses more than 23,000 square feet of vehicle storage space, more than double that of the ships it replaces. Vehicle storage space is provided through a well deck design which allows for the transportation of LCAC’s or conventional landing craft. This capability is enhanced by the incorporation of a flight deck and hangar that accommodates both CH-46 helicopters and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
In an effort to reduce vulnerability, San Antonio-class ships are engineered with a streamlined topside design that reduces the ship’s appearance on radars. Combining this improvement with state-of-the-art Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities provides the class with 21st century survivability features.
With a maximum speed in excess of 22 knots and total displacement of 24,900 tons, the San Antonio-class is powered by four turbocharged diesel engines. The ship is capable of transporting a landing force of up to 800 Marines.
Construction on USS San Antonio (LPD 17), the first ship of the class, commenced in June 2000 and was delivered to the Navy in July 2005. LPDs 18 - 26 have also been delivered. LPD 27 is currently under construction and is expected to be delivered in FY17.
On Dec. 4, 2015, the Navy awarded Huntington Ingalls a contract action for LPD 28 long lead time material to support detail design and construction. As the 12th LPD-17 Class ship, LPD 28 will be used to support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups."
Updated Aug 2016