Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $187.46 million advance procurement contract from the US Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advance procurement activities for future amphibious assault ship LHA 9.
“This contract allows us to maintain the health of our critical nationwide shipbuilding supplier base while continuing our serial production of large-deck amphibs,” Brian Cuccias, Ingalls Shipbuilding President, said.
“We will work closely with our Navy-Marine Corps partners and our suppliers across the U.S. to build another highly capable, versatile and survivable warship.”
Ingalls is currently the sole builder of large-deck amphibious ships for the navy. The shipyard delivered its first amphibious assault ship, the Iwo Jima-class USS Tripoli (LPH 10), in 1966.
Ingalls has since built five Tarawa-class (LHA 1) ships, eight Wasp-class (LHD 1) ships and the first in a new class of amphibious assault ships, America (LHA 6), in 2014. The second ship in that class, Tripoli (LHA 7), was delivered to the US Navy earlier this year.
Another amphibious assault ship, Bougainville (LHA 8) , is currently under construction. LHA 8 will be the first Flight I ship, and will reincorporate a well deck to increase operational flexibility. Bougainville will incorporate the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar volume air search radar in lieu of the AN/SPS-48G air search radar on America and Tripoli.