Welcome, Harrisburg
Ship’s sponsors Alexandra Curry and Jennifer Dlaz christened the Harrisburg (LPD 30) af HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding. Pictured from left is Rear Adm. Thomas Anderson, United States Navy, program executive officer for ships; Chief Nigel James, United States Navy, senior enlisted leader, Pre-Commissioning Detachment for Harrisburg; Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette, Gen. Christopher Mahoney, United States Marine Corps, and Ship Sponsors Alexandra Curry and Jennifer Diaz
The U.S. Navy’s much-needed 14th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, the future USS Harrisburg (LPD 30), was christened at Pascagoula over the weekend.
Importantly, she is the first Flight II vessel in the class, which incorporates over 200 structural updates from the baseline design as well as increased cargo handling capability, the latter feature essential with the Navy scrapping all of its LSDs in the near future.
It is a name long missing from the Naval List, somehow missed by the SECNAV’s office across hundreds of cruisers and SSNs commissioned over the past century.
The first (and only until this week) USS Harrisburg was a fine British-made three master/three stacked transatlantic liner (SS City of Paris) of the Inman Line that, taken up from service, was used first as an auxiliary cruiser in the SpanAm War and later as a fast transport in the Great War.
USS Harrisburg (ID # 1663) Moored in port with a barge alongside, circa 1918. Note her pattern camouflage. The original image was printed on postal card (AZO) stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Catalog #: NH 103919
Going back to the San Antonios, currently, Ingalls has two Flight II LPDs under construction including Harrisburg and Pittsburgh (LPD 31).
Pre-construction activities are currently underway for the construction of Philadelphia (LPD 32).
Additionally, the Navy last September awarded Ingalls a contract for the construction of three additional San Antonio-class amphibious ships (LPDs 33-35).
The current program of record is for 26 ships (LPD 17-43), although it has taken 25 years to get this far.