Ingalls Shipbuilding has completed the builder trials for USS Harrisburg (LPD 30). USS Harrisburg is the first ship of the San Antonio Flight II class, which the United States Navy decided to build in 2018. Construction began in January 2022 and is scheduled to launch in October 2024. According to a review conducted in September 2024 by GAO, this project is approximately 15 months behind schedule, a delay that is also observed in other Navy shipbuilding programs.
Delays and Challenges in Building New Ships
HII and its subsidiaries are working on ships LPD 31 to 35, all of which have signed contracts. USS Harrisburg is expected to be commissioned in the summer of 2027. In comparison, the Chinese state shipbuilder, CSSC, can launch a similar Type 071 ship in four months. The Chinese Navy, as the largest navy in the world, poses a significant threat to U.S. Navy planning.
Read more: Commencement of Regular Bioethanol Refueling Operations at the Port of Santos, Brazil
Distributed Shipbuilding Strategy
To accelerate the progress of the LPD series, HII has implemented a distributed shipbuilding concept. This strategy involves outsourcing the production of subassemblies to smaller shops and then assembling the semi-finished sections at its facilities. This method requires precision and discipline but has been successful in other programs such as the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth class ships and the new generation of U.S. Navy submarines.
LPD 32, which will be known as USS Philadelphia, includes six modular units from Eastern Shipbuilding Group. This group is known for its work on workboats and ferries in Florida and is currently producing the units for delivery in the second half of 2027. Joey D'Isernia, President and CEO of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, stated: "Our team is fully engaged and ready to deliver these six complex modules on time in 2027. This collaboration demonstrates the strength of the shipbuilding industry on the Gulf Coast and our shared commitment to national defense."
Read more: New Developments in Maritime Navigation Using PNT Data · Return of Training Ship Empire State VII to New York After Federal Government Program Changes
