US Navy christens 12th San Antonio-class LPD

The 12th San Antonio-class landing platform dock (LPD) to be built for the US Navy was formally named in a ceremony at Ingalls Shipbuilding’s facilities in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Saturday, August 21.

The future USS Fort Lauderdale is the first US Navy ship to honour the city of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

As with its sisters, the future Fort Lauderdale is designed to support embarking, transporting, and bringing ashore elements of 650 troops by landing craft or air cushion vehicles. The LPD’s capabilities will be further enhanced by a flight deck and hangar, which can operate CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters and MV Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.