Posted on November 3, 2022
The Navy on Thursday issued HIIโs Ingalls Shipbuilding a $2.4 billion contract modification to build the fourth ship in the America-class of amphibious assault ships, according to the Pentagonโs contract announcements.
The detail, design and construction contract for LHA-9 follows a long-lead material contract issued in April of 2020, HII said in a company news release.
โIngalls shipbuilders are ready to build the Navyโs newestย LHA,โ Kari Wilkinson, the president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, said in the news release.โ
We understand how important this work is, and consider it an honor to be given the opportunity to deliver this capability to the fleet. We value our partnership with the Navy and all of our critical supplier partners.โ
The contract is worth up to $3.2 billion with potential options, the contract announcement reads. Ingalls will start building the ship this December, according to the news release.
Ingalls builds both the America-class amphibious assault ships and the San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks at its Pascagoula, Miss., yard. It also builds Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and the Coast Guardโs Legend-class National Security Cutter.
Ingalls has put nearly $1 billion into modernizing the yard over the last five years,ย USNI News reported in Augustย following a trip to Pascagoula.
The future USSย Bougainvilleย (LHA-8), designed to accommodate the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, was about halfway built during USNI Newsโ trip to the yard. The Navy and Marine Corps this summer tested out the โlightning carrierโ or โassault carrierโ concept on USSย Tripoliย (LHA-7) with F-35Bs operating aboard the amphib for several months.
Tripoliย and USS America (LHA-6), the lead ship in the class, do not have well decks. The Navy is reintroducing the well deck onย Bougainvilleย and the LHAs that follow.
