The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest amphibious transport dock, the USS Portland (LPD 27) on Saturday, April 21, in Portland, Oregon. This 11th San Antonio-class ship is the last one to feature stealth/RCS (radar cross section) reduction features. The next ship of this class, the future USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), will feature a more basic design (making it more affordable).
USS Portland (LPD 27), sails through the Gulf of Mexico during her acceptance sea trials. This 11th San Antonio-class ship is the last one to feature stealth/RCS reduction features. Photo by Lance Davis/HII.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan delivered the ceremony's principal address. Bonnie Amos, wife of the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, retired Gen. James F. Amos, served as the ship's sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she gave the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
USS Portland (LPD 27) is the second ship to honor Oregon's largest city and is the third U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Portland. The first ship was heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA 33), named for the city in Maine, which was commissioned Feb. 23, 1933. Serving throughout World War II, she saw action at a number of important battles, including Guadalcanal, Leyte Gulf, Corregidor and Okinawa. The second ship, dock landing ship USS Portland (LSD 37), named for the cities of the same name in Maine and Oregon, was commissioned Oct. 3, 1970. Over the course of nearly 33 years of service, she participated in a number of important operations, including the 1976 evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon, the 1983 multi-national peacekeeping mission to Beirut, Lebanon, and deployment of Marines to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
USS Portland is the 11th San Antonio-class ship. These ships are designed to support embarking, transporting, and landing elements of more than 800 Marines with both a flight deck, which accommodates CH-53E Sea Stallion, and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and a well deck, which can launch and recover landing craft and amphibious vehicles.
San Antonio-class ships are versatile players in maritime security with the ability to support a variety of amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions, operating independently or as part of amphibious ready groups, expeditionary strike groups, or joint task forces. In addition to performing their primary mission, San Antonio-class ships have conducted anti-piracy operations, provided humanitarian assistance and supported foreign disaster relief operations around the world.
