HII awarded contract for San Antonio and America-class amphibious ships.

According to information published by Huntingon Ingalls Industries on September 23, 2024, the U.S. defense contractor, has announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a significant $9.6 billion multi-ship procurement contract.
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US Navy's San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (Picture source: US DoD)

The contract covers the construction of three San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships (LPD 33, 34, and 35) and a contract modification for an additional America-class large-deck amphibious assault ship (LHA 10) for the U.S. Navy.

Ingalls Shipbuilding, located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is one of the Navy's primary suppliers of amphibious ships, with approximately half of its workforce dedicated to these vessels. The shipyard is supported by a network of over 650 suppliers across 39 states, which contribute components for the amphibious ships’ construction.

Ingalls has already delivered 13 San Antonio-class and 15 large-deck amphibious ships to the Navy. The shipyard is currently constructing additional ships, including LHA 8 Bougainville, LHA 9 Fallujah, and two Flight II LPDs, Harrisburg (LPD 30) and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). In March 2023, Ingalls was also awarded a contract modification for the detailed design and construction of the 16th San Antonio-class vessel, Philadelphia (LPD 32).

Comparison beetween the San Antonio-class and the America-class

The San Antonio-class is primarily an amphibious transport dock, designed to transport and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies. These ships utilize well decks to deploy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs), and conventional landing craft, while also supporting helicopter and MV-22 Osprey operations. Each San Antonio-class ship displaces around 25,000 tons and can carry roughly 700 Marines.

In contrast, the America-class is an amphibious assault ship designed to act as a small aircraft carrier for Marine air operations, placing more emphasis on aviation capabilities. These ships lack a well deck in their initial configuration but make up for it with a large flight deck, optimized for helicopters and F-35B fighter jets. The America-class displaces about 45,000 tons, nearly twice that of the San Antonio, and its primary mission is to provide air support during amphibious assaults. It serves as a command ship and can support over 1,600 Marines.