Sailors man the rails as the amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) departs Souda Bay, Greece Nov. 5, 2015. US Navy photo.
ARLINGTON, Va — Increasing challenges in Europe and Northern Africa have sparked a discussion in the Marine Corps and Joint Staff about revamping how to deploy amphibious groups, including the idea of splitting up the three-ship Amphibious Ready Group from the start. Read More
The future John P. Murtha (LPD-26). Huntington Ingalls Industries photo.
Certainly commonality is not the final and only answer to cost savings. Given the current national defense priorities and a request by the President of $583 billion for defense in Fiscal Year 2017, most would surmise that, if properly prioritized and managed, the budget would be sufficient to support the majority of defense requirements. Read More
San Antonio-class amphib Portland launches at Ingalss Shipbuilding on Saturday. HII Photo
The penultimate San Antonio-class amphibious warship (LPD-17) – Portland (LPD-27 – was launched from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard on Saturday. Read More
The future John P. Murtha (LPD-26). Huntington Ingalls Industries photo.
The Navy released its request for proposals for the last San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock (LPD-17), bringing the service one step closer to wrapping up the ship class and transitioning into a follow-on LX(R) program. Read More
Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, sponsor of LPD-17 the San Antonio, christens the Navy’s the in New Orleans in 2003. US Navy Photo
Ten years ago, on Jan. 14, 2006, lead ship USS San Antonio (LPD-17) was commissioned as a Navy warship. But the immediate future looked bleak for the amphibious transport dock program. Read More
The first grand blocks of the future USS John Finn (DDG 113) are erected on the building ways at the Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Pascagoula, Miss. Huntington Ingalls Industries photo.
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – The Navy and two shipbuilders are moving forward with the Flight III upgrade to the Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers (DDG-51), which adds an air and missile defense radar to the ship class starting this fiscal year. Read More
USS Arlington (LPD-24) under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Huntington Ingalls Industries Photo
The Navy and Marine Corps were able to design an LX(R) dock landing ship replacement with greater capability for less money by starting with the higher-end San Antonio-class LPD-17 design, stripping away unneeded features and adding back in desired ones, service officials said last week. Read More
The following is the June 1, 2015 Congressional Research Service report, Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
150427-N-MZ309-124
PACIFIC OCEAN (April 27,2015) U.S. Air Force F-16s fly over the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during a training exercise on April 27, 2015. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The capacity the planned LX(R) amphibious warship will bring to the Navy and Marine Corps Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) will be key to operating the first two aviation-centric America-class big deck amphibs, the Marines’ aviation head said this week. Read More
Essex ARG consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), the San Antonio-class transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD-23), and the Whidbey Island-class amphibious landing dock ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) on Feb. 28, 2015. US Navy Photo
The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee wants changes allowing two upcoming ship classes to get off to a smoother start – allowing for more funding opportunities for the Ohio Replacement Program (ORP) and accelerating the start of the LX(R) amphibious dock landing ship replacement program. Read More
