The US Navy commemorated the ceremonial keel laying of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, future USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31), at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division on June 2.
This marks the fifth Navy vessel to bear the name of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and its region.
The previous USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) was a Los Angeles-class submarine that served the Navy from December 1984 to August 2019.
The San Antonio-class is designed to facilitate the embarkation, transportation, and landing of Marines and their equipment using conventional or air-cushioned landing craft.
The ship is equipped with a flight deck and hangar, enabling it to operate a wide range of Marine Corps helicopters and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22).
With its inherent capabilities, the San Antonio-class vessels are capable of supporting various missions, including amphibious assault, special operations, expeditionary warfare, and disaster relief.
These ships can operate independently or as part of amphibious readiness groups, expeditionary strike groups, or joint task forces.
In addition to the future USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31), the Ingalls Shipbuilding division is actively engaged in the production of two other vessels, namely the future USS Richard S. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) and the future USS Harrisburg (LPD 30).
“The future USS Pittsburgh’s keel laying is a momentous occasion and the Navy and its industry partners look forward to working together during the construction process,” said Capt. Cedric McNeal, program manager, Amphibious Warfare Program Office, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.
“Ultimately, LPD Flight II ships will provide capability and power projection to support a myriad of employment scenarios as a key component of the Amphibious Force structure for decades to come,” he added.
