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SNA
2016 Show News - HII LPD 28 Design |
SNA
2016: Huntington Ingalls Industries Unveiled the LPD 28 Design in a
Scale Model |
By Xavier Vavasseur During the Surface Navy Association's (SNA) National Symposium held last week near Washington DC, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) unveiled for the first time a scale model representative of the future U.S. Navy LPD 28 amphibious transport dock design. In December 2015, HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a procurement contract from the U.S. Navy for LPD 28, the 12th amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio (LPD 17) class. LPD 28 will have a number of modifications compared to other San Antonio class ships however and this new scale model sheds some light on these modifications. |
LPD 28 scale model showcased for the first time by HII during SNA 2016 |
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Compared
to the existing San
Antonio (LPD 17) class, one can notice that gone are the two large
hexagonal Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensors (AEM/S) System masts. LPD 28
is fitted with two traditional masts instead. The AN/SPQ-9B surface search
& fire control radar is still fitted on the forward mast
and the AN/SPS-48G 3D air search radar on the aft mast. The two
large closable spaces for RHIBs (and davits) on the starboard side do
not have doors anymore (they remain open). Moving to the stern, gone also
is the upper sterngate of the LPD 17's well deck: The top part of LPD
28 well deck remains constantly open, even with the main/lower sterngate
shut. All these features on LPD 17 (masts, doors covering davits, upper
sterngate) contribute to lower the radar cross section of the design but
removing them makes the LPD 28 design more affordable. Note however that
LPD 28 retains the "shape optimized" anchor pockets of the LPD
17 design. LPD 28 weapons fit is the same as LPD 17: 2x RIM-116 RAM launchers (21 missiles each) and 2x MK 46 (Bushmaster II) 30mm guns, fitted in the same location (at the stern and on top of the aviation hangar). The scale model at SNA also featured 2x SEWIP electronic warfare system (fitted on each side of the bridge) and 8x Nulka decoy launchers. An HII brochure at the show listed the following transition design changes: Fwd House Modifications AFT House Unit Deletions Fwd Stick Mast Aft Mast (3) 350T HES A/C Plants Single CPS Zone IJC Elimination Power Generation / Redundancy Changes General Arrangements Modifications CANES Reduced Degaussing Coils Reduced Troop Berthing (552 vice 800) According to HII, this 12th ship of the San Antonio class will raise the number of amphibious warships in the US Navy fleet to 34 to support Navy and Marine Corps mission and lift requirements to meet COCOM demands. |
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During
a media briefing during SNA 2016, Brian Cuccias, President of Ingalls
Shipbuilding, explained that this derivative of the San Antonio class
will serve as a transition ship to the LSD class replacement ship LX(R).
He added that it made sense for the US Navy and for HII to keep the San
Antonio class production line open and fill a gap thanks to LPD 28 until
LX(R) amphibious ship program comes online in a few years. According to HII: LPD Flight IIA is the proven solution for the next generation amphibious transport dock, called "LX(R)" by the U.S. Navy.. Flight IIA is a capable variant of the amphibious transport dock LPD 17. Utilizing the LPD 17's proven hull, Flight IIA is adaptable and can be tailored for specific mission payloads as well as command and decision requirements. LPD Flight IIA is the affordable, capable, adaptable and survivable next generation amphibious ship, a suitable replacement to the Harpers Ferry and Whidbey Island classes of dock landing ships. |
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