On January 11, the American company Huntington Ingalls (HII) announced that a new Amphibious Assault Ship, which will be received by the U.S. Navy, has been christened USS Harrisburg (LPD 30). It is the 14th ship of the San Antonio class, built by the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, and named in honor of the capital of Pennsylvania for its extensive history of contributions to the country’s industrial development.
During the ceremony, Brian Blanchette, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, stated: “Today is more than just a christening; it is a celebration of the craftsmanship, commitment, and enduring purpose of the work we do every day at Ingalls (…) Like its namesake, Harrisburg, with its rich history of strength, resilience, and leadership, shares the same qualities reflected in our shipbuilders, whose dedication ensures that the Navy and Marine Corps have the advanced ships they need to protect and defend our nation.”
Delving into details, it should be noted that the new USS Harrisburg (LPD 30) is the first of the new Flight II variant of the San Antonio class ordered by the U.S. Navy, which began construction in January 2022. It was only in October 2024 that the ship was launched, thus initiating the period of sea trials and associated systems testing prior to entering service, where it is expected to carry out expeditionary warfare missions, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.
Finally, regarding the program undertaken to replace the aging dock landing ships of the Whidbey Island and Harpers Ferry classes, it should be mentioned that HII is not only working on the new USS Harrisburg for the U.S. Navy but also on the future USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31), which also belongs to the Flight II variant. In addition, the company reported that it is also preparing to begin construction of the future USS Philadelphia (LPD 32), with plans to produce three more ships of the class in the future (LPD 33 to 35).
*Image credits: HII
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