The last Flight I San Antonio-class amphibious warship commissioned at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., this weekend, while shipbuilder Austal USA launched a Spearhead-class transport and started manufacture of a second.
On Saturday, the Navy commissioned amphibious transport dock USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29). The ship is named after former U.S. Navy Capt. Richard McCool Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions off the coast of Okinawa in 1945. The ship is the Navy’s 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship.
McCool is the last Flight I in the San Antonio class, USNI News previously reported. HII Ingalls Shipbuilding is building the first two Flight IIs – the future USS Harrisburg (LPD-30) and the future USS Pittsburgh (LPD-31) – at its Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard.
The Navy is planning to award a multi-year contract for four more amphibious warships.
“I am proud that the Department of the Navy is pursuing the award of the Amphibious Multi-Ship Procurement Contract for a total of three San Antonio Class amphibious ships—just like USS Richard M. McCool Jr.—along with an America Class amphibious assault ship,” Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said in a ceremony on Saturday. “I am proud to see these Sailors and Marines bring this incredible warship to life in service to our nation, much like this ship’s courageous namesake.”
Austal USA laid the keel of the Flight II Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) Friday, a few days after the shipbuilding company launched the Navy’s 15th Expeditionary Fast Transport ship.
The future USNS Lansing (EPF-16) is a medical ship equipped with an intensive care unit and capable of providing basic secondary health care following surgery, as well as limited x-ray, laboratory and dental services.
Lansing is named after the Michigan capital and will be sponsored by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She attended the keel laying, along with Del Toro.
“Our EPFs are force multipliers for our combat logistics fleet,” Del Toro said, according to a Navy release. “They allow for quicker responses to crises, strengthen our ability to conduct humanitarian and disaster relief operations, and provide logistical support for special forces missions.”
Lansing is the second ship of its name, although it is the first to be named after the city of Michigan. The first Lansing was named after Aviation Machinist Mate First Class William Henry Lansing.
USNS Point Loma (EPF-15) is also a Flight II Expeditionary Fast Transport with medical capabilities. Austal launched the ship Tuesday. It is now docked pierside for its final outfitting before the ship goes out for sea trials, according to an Austal release.
Both ships will be manned by members of the Military Sealift Command, as well as embarked military personnel.
Last month, USNI News reported MSC plans to sideline the current crop of active EPFs due to a lack of civilian mariners to crew the ships.
Last week, General Dynamic Bath Iron Works laid the keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG-130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer named after Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William Charette.
Surgeon General of the Navy Rear Adm. Darin Via attended on behalf of the Navy.
“All of us in Navy Medicine are immensely proud to have a warship named after one of our own. We understand that it is one of the greatest honors you can receive in the Navy,” Via said in a Navy release. “The future USS William Charette will not only be a symbol of American strength but also a testament to the courage and dedication of Navy corpsmen.”
