U.S. Navy to Name USS Portland

The U.S. Navy will name the next San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship the USS Portland, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced on friday.

“Oregon has a long history with the U.S. Navy going back to the construction of hundreds of World War II Liberty and Victory ships at three Portland-area shipyards,” Wyden said. “I want to thank Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus for naming a ship for Oregon’s largest city. It is an honor for the City of Portland and for all Oregonians.”

Construction of the ship began in August 2011 in Newport News. VA. According to the Navy, when it is completed and delivered to the Navy in the summer of 2017, it will be the only ship in the current fleet named for a location in Oregon.  Landing Platform Dock ships are named for major American cities.  Designated LPD 27, the USS Portland will be the third Navy ship to bear the name.

In announcing the naming of the USS Portland, Secretary Mabus said:

“I appreciate the many contributions to our Navy and Marine Corps team that have been made by the people of Portland and the state of Oregon.  The two previous ships to bear the name Portland distinguished themselves in service to our nation and I fully expect the future USS Portland will continue that proud tradition whether delivering humanitarian assistance or the full range of combat capability for many decades to come.”

The USS Portland will support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century. It will be used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies using different types of craft, including, the Navy said, “air cushion or conventional landing craft or Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

USS Portland is part of a class of Landing Platform Dock ships and is being constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries with Raytheon Systems Corporation and Intergraph Corporation. It will be 684 feet in length, have a beam length of 105 feet and will be capable of operating at 22 knots.  It is expected to be delivered in summer 2017.

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Naval Today Staff, April 15, 2013; Image: US Navy