Article Posted on : - May 17, 2016

John P. Murtha (LPD 26) was delivered to the US Navy during a ceremony at Ingalls Shipbuilding. An HII image

PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI (BNS): The US Navy has taken delivery of the 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, John P. Murtha (LPD 26), from Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) last week.

The delivery of John P. Murtha serves as the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy and is a major milestone in the ship's transition to operational status, the Navy said in a statement.

The ship, built at HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division, was delivered on May 13.

The commissioning of the vessel is planned for later this year.

The previous ship of the class USS Somerset (LPD 25) joined service in March 2014.

HII is also building the 11th LPD, Portland (LPD 27). The shipbuilder has also received more than $300 million in advance procurement funding for the 12th ship in the class, Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28).

The San Antonio-class LPDs have been designed to provide the US Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate with 21st century platforms.

The 684 feet-long and 105 feet-wide warship's prime mission is to deploy combat and support elements of Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades.

It is capable of carrying up to 800 troops and transporting and debarking air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing crafts, augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.