San Antonio class amphibious transport dock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 USS San Antonio (LPD-17) |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Northrop Grumman Ship Systems |
| Operators: | United States Navy |
| Preceded by: | Trenton-class amphibious transport dock |
| Succeeded by: | N/A - current authorized amphibious transport dock line |
| Built: | 2000 - present |
| In commission: | 2006 - present |
| Building: | 6 |
| Planned: | 12 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Amphibious transport dock |
| Displacement: | 24,900 t |
| Length: | 684 ft (208 m) |
| Beam: | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Draft: | 23 ft (7.0 m), full load |
| Propulsion: | Four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 41,600 shp |
| Speed: | In excess of 22 knots (41 km/h) |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
2× LCACs (air cushion); or 1× LCU (conventional); and 14× Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles (EFV) |
| Complement: | Crew: 28 officers, 333 enlisted Landing force: 66 officers, 633 enlisted |
| Armament: | 2× Bushmaster II 30 mm Close in Guns 2× Rolling Airframe Missile launchers Several twin M2 Browning Machine Gun turrets |
| Aircraft carried: | Launch or land up to four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters; or up to two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft simultaneously with room to spot four MV-22s on deck and one in the hangar |
The San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock (LPD) in the beginning of 21st century.[1] It will be replacing the older Austin-, Cleveland-, and Trenton- class LPDs as well as the Anchorage-class dock landing ships, Newport-class tank landing ships, and one class that has already been retired, the Charleston-class amphibious cargo ships.[1]
Thus, the twelve planned San Antonios will replace a total of 41 ships; however the San Antonio class's funding was reduced as a result of budget cuts, and only ten ships will be funded. There are currently five San Antonio-class LPDs under construction and four in commission as of January 2009; LPDs 26 through 28 are planned, but have not been awarded to a shipyard or all named.[2] The final unit cost for each ship is not yet known, but cost of the first ship of the class, the USS San Antonio (LPD 17), was nearly $1.4 billion USD.[3]
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[edit] Design and development
The class's increased vehicle and substantial cargo carrying capacity will make it a key element of 21st century Amphibious Ready Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, or Joint task forces. The 12 ships of the new class integrate the latest in shipbuilding and warfighting technologies to support current and future Marine Corps aircraft, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles (EFVs) and both air cushion or conventional landing craft.[1]
The San Antonios are designed to be the most survivable amphibious ships ever put to sea. The design incorporates state-of-the-art self-defense capabilities; and includes facilities for Command and Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I); and reduced radar cross-section signature technologies. Reduced operational costs and an improved capability to incorporate technological advances over its 40-year service life are also essential design objectives. The Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensors, which enclose the ship's radars and communications antennas, characterize the ship's distinctive profile.[1] The LPD 17 class was largely designed with the metric system, specifying millimeters for linear dimensions and other parameters. It is the first major U.S. Navy ship class to be so constructed. Most machinery parameters remain in U.S. customary units.
The ship's ability to carry Landing Craft, Air Cushioned (LCACs) and EFVs, the Shipboard Wide Area Network with over 762 fiber optic drops, Total Ship's Training System, Integrated Bridge System, Engineering Control System, and Damage Control System all serve to ensure that sailors and Marines will be able to fully perform their expeditionary warfare missions. The San Antonios also incorporate the latest quality of life standards for the embarked Marines and sailors, including the sit-up berth, ship services mall, and Learning Resource Center/Electronic Classroom with the flexibility to accommodate sailors and Marines of both sexes as part of the crew and embarked troops.[2]
[edit] Ships of the class
- USS San Antonio (LPD-17)
- USS New Orleans (LPD-18)
- USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19)
- USS Green Bay (LPD-20)
- USS New York (LPD-21)
- USS San Diego (LPD-22)
- USS Anchorage (LPD-23)
- USS Arlington (LPD-24)
- USS Somerset (LPD-25)
- LPD-26 (not yet named)
[edit] Photo Gallery
 Port-bow view of USS San Antonio. |
 Port-quarter view of USS New Orleans. |
 Plan view of LPD-17 class ship. |
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[edit] In Fiction
- In the video game Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, two San Antonio-class LPDs can be seen in the water. They are called "Alamo-class Missile Destroyer"s despite retaining the flight deck and well deck.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "US Navy Fact File: Amphibious Transport Dock — LPD". U.S. Navy. 2006-12-14. http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=600&ct=4. Retrieved on 2008-09-11.
- ^ a b "LPD-17 SAN ANTONIO Class". Globalsecurity.org. 2006-07-28. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lpd-17.htm. Retrieved on 2008-09-11.
- ^ "LPD-17 SAN ANTONIO Class Construction". GlobalSecurity.org. 2008-09-05. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lpd-17-construction.htm. Retrieved on 2009-03-20. "The FY2008 budget request included $1,398,922,000 for the procurement of the ninth San Antonio Class (LPD-17) Amphibious Transport Dock Ship."
[edit] External links
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