The U.S. Navy has informed that its future amphibious transport dock John P. Murtha (LPD 26) successfully completed acceptance trials on April 15.
The trials consisted of a series of in port and underway tests that validate the functionality of ship’s systems. They are conducted by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) over a six-day period.
John P. Murtha will be the tenth ship of the LPD 17 San Antonio class to join the fleet. The ship is scheduled to be commissioned in Philadelphia this fall, and will be homeported in San Diego.
Sailors aboard John P. Murtha also tested the Navy’s first High Frequency Distribution Amplifier Group (HF DAG) system during the trials. The HF DAG system successfully transmitted and received transmissions between LPD 26 antennas and established contact with other vessels at sea, such as the USS Montgomery (LCS 8).
In addition, communication with naval shore stations more than 200 miles away in Mayport, Florida, proved the dependability of the system, the U.S. Navy said.
The dockside checks demonstrated the functionality of key systems prior to the underway period. While at sea the future USS John P. Murtha completed a number of demonstrations including a full power run, self-defense detect-to-engage exercises, steering checks, boat handling, anchoring and rapid ballast and de-ballast demonstrations. The tests conducted during the underway period certified that all systems including main propulsion, ship control, combat, communications and damage control were fully inspected and validated for operational tasking.
“The INSURV team provided a detailed assessment of the ship’s readiness through a rigorous schedule of test events,” said Capt. Darren Plath, LPD 17 Class program manager, Program Executive Office, Ships. “This included several systems new to the LPD 17 Class to include the SPS-48G air search radar and the Navy Multiband Terminal satellite communications system. Overall, LPD 26 performed very well and will soon be another highly capable, combat ready ship delivered to the U.S. Fleet.”
The principal mission of LPD 17 San Antonio-class ships is to deploy combat and support elements of Marine expeditionary units and brigades. With the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion or conventional landing craft and augmented by helicopters or MV-22 vertical take-off and landing aircraft, these ships support amphibious assault, special operations, and expeditionary warfare missions.