USA: Ingalls Shipbuilding Ready to Christen America (LHA 6)

Huntington Ingalls Industries, its Ingalls Shipbuilding division will christen the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, will be the keynote speaker and will join Lynne Pace, wife of U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) Gen. Peter Pace, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, when she smashes a ceremonial bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the ship.

Ingalls received a $2.38 billion contract to build the next ship in the class, Tripoli (LHA 7), last week. LHA 6 and LHA 7 are the first two ships in the new America class of amphibious assault ships. The ships are 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and will displace 44,971 long tons. The gas turbine propulsion system will drive the ships in excess of 20 knots.

They will accommodate 1,059 crew (65 officers) and 1,687 troops. They will be capable of carrying a Marine Expeditionary Unit, including Marine helicopters, MV‐22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and F‐35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft. Carrying a complement of F‐35s allows the ships to serve the role of a small aircraft carrier, as demonstrated by LHD‐class ship operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, October 16, 2012; Image: huntingtoningalls