The American Navy will soon receive the twelfth San Antonio-class amphibious assault ship. Yesterday, November 2, the press service of Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the successful completion of the first stage of sea trials of the Fort Lauderdale ship (LPD 28).
The USS Fort Lauderdale will be the twelfth of the thirteen planned ships of the LPD 17 Flight I project. In addition, it is planned to build thirteen more of the same type of "paratroopers" for the US Navy according to the updated LPD-17 Flight II project. The first amphibious transport dock of the second stage is already being assembled at Huntington Ingalls Industries, and a contract has been signed for the construction of the second.
The ship Fort Lauderdale on sea trials
Image source: huntingtoningalls.com
The length of the San Antonio-type ship is 208 m, width - 32 m, draft at full load does not exceed 7 m. The ship with a displacement of 25,300 tons is capable of speeds up to 20 knots (41 km/h) and can simultaneously carry two LCAC air cushion landing craft, one LCU landing boat, fourteen amphibious armored personnel carriers and at least 700 paratroopers. In addition, a helipad is located in its aft part, on which up to four helicopters or two MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor can be based. The crew of the transport dock consists of 350 people.
Model of a San Antonio - type ship
Image source: skyscrapercity.com
The San Antonio-class ships have only defensive armament: two Mk44 Bushmaster II artillery launchers of 30 mm caliber, two Mk 41 rocket launchers designed to hit air targets, as well as several M2 Browning twin machine gun launchers. The cost of building one ship is $1.6 billion.
