Image of the Day: USS Somerset Brought to Life

USS Somerset Brought to Life1

 

 The U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious transport dock ship, USS Somerset docked during week-long commissioning events in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

Somerset was commissioned during a formal ceremony at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, March 1. She is the ninth San Antonio-class amphibious dock and was built at Northrop Grumman’s  Avondale shipyard.

The 24,900-ton ship is designed to launch helicopters, tilt-rotor aircraft and assault watercraft, and can accomodate up to 800 Marines. Somerset will provide improved warfighting capabilities, including an advanced command-and-control suite, increased lift-capability in vehicle and cargo-carrying capacity and advanced ship-survivability features.

The ship will be homeported in San Diego.

[mappress]
Press Release, March 6, 2014, 2014;
Image: Lance Davis