Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on March 31, 2023 that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $1.3 billion modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy for the procurement of the detail design and construction of amphibious transport dock LPD-32. The resulting fixed-price-incentive contract totals $1.54 billion. The ship will be the 16th in the San Antonio class and the third Flight II LPD.

«Our shipbuilders are dedicated to delivering these ships to our Navy and Marine Corps partners, having done so for over two decades», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. «This program is strong and has enabled the Department of Navy and Ingalls to establish a formidable capability based on a mature design, an ever-increasingly efficient production line, and a team of shipbuilders that keep the Navy’s critical industrial base network across the country strong».

In June 2022, Ingalls Shipbuilding was awarded a $240 million advance procurement contract for LPD-32 from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities. The funds from this contract allowed Ingalls to begin purchasing long-lead time material and major equipment across a supplier network of nearly 400 companies in 30 states.

Ingalls Shipbuilding is the sole builder of the entire San Antonio class of ships and currently has three LPDs under construction, including USS Richard M. McCool (LPD-29); USS Harrisburg (LPD-30), the first Flight II LPD; and USS Pittsburgh (LPD-31), which began fabrication in September 2022. LPD Flight II is the next generation amphibious ship to replace Whidbey Island (LSD-41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) classes of dock landing ships.

Amphibious transport docks are a major part of the Navy’s 21st century expeditionary force, deployed with a U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force for amphibious and expeditionary crisis response operations that range from deterrence and joint-force enablement to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.