Anna Forrester
The Huntington Ingalls Industries-built USS Portland amphibious transport dock has completed a series of acceptance sea trials under the U.S. Navy‘s Board of Inspection and Survey to check the vessel’s capabilities.
The company said Monday its test and trials team worked with INSURV to perform approximately 200 trial events including anchor handling, steering, detect-to-engage and ballasting/de-ballasting.
Steve Sloan, program manager at Ingalls Shipbuilding, said the division will move forward to final “fit-and-finish” touches to prepare the San Antonio-class ship designated LPD 27 for delivery to the Navy in the fall.
HII’s shipbuilding business most recently delivered USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) in 2016 and is set to lay the keel of USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) this fall as work on LPD 29 begins under an advance procurement contract awarded in June.
The San Antonio class of amphibious warships will serve to transport U.S. Marine Corps personnel, equipment and supplies as part of a Marine Air Ground Task Force.
