On January 29, the U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls (HII) announced the start of construction for the 16th San Antonio-class Amphibious Assault Ship for the U.S. Navy, which will bear the name USS Philadelphia (LPD 32). This vessel is part of the modernized fleet of San Antonio-class ships configured under the Flight II standard. The first of this variant, USS Harrisburg (LPD 30), was launched in October last year and will soon be commissioned into service.
Regarding the milestone, Stephen Janowski, the current manager of Ingalls Shipbuilding’s amphibious ship program, stated:“From the early planning stages to the first steel cut, every step of construction so far has focused on building a capable ship for our Navy and Marine Corps partners (…) Our team is committed to continuous improvement and ensuring that Philadelphia is built with the craftsmanship needed to support our nation in the future.”
HII remains the sole builder of the San Antonio-class ships, having already delivered vessels from LPD 17 through LPD 29. This number is set to increase, as the company is currently working on three ships simultaneously for future delivery to the U.S. Navy: USS Harrisburg (LPD 30), USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31), and USS Philadelphia (LPD 32). Additionally, the Navy signed a contract in September 2024 for three more ships (LPD 33 to LPD 35), valued at over $5.8 billion.
Finally, it is worth noting that the USS Philadelphia and its sister ships are intended to replace the aging Harpers Ferry and Whidbey Island classes, which currently serve the fleet with four and eight units, respectively. Looking ahead, this class will be a key component of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operations, particularly for amphibious crisis response and expeditionary missions.
Cover image: HII
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