PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Navy's future amphibious
transport dock, John P. Murtha (LPD 26) successfully completed Acceptance
Trials April 15.
The Acceptance Trials consisted of a series in port and
underway tests and trials that validate the functionality of ship's systems.
The trials are conducted by the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV)
over a six day period.
"The INSURV team provided a detailed assessment of
the ship's readiness through a rigorous schedule of test events," said
Capt. Darren Plath, LPD 17 Class Program Manager, Program Executive Office,
Ships. "This included several systems new to the LPD 17 Class to include
the SPS-48G air search radar and the Navy Multiband Terminal satellite
communications system. Overall, LPD 26 performed very well and will soon be
another highly capable, combat ready ship delivered to the U.S.
Fleet."
The dockside checks demonstrated the functionality of key
systems prior to the underway period. While at sea the future USS John P.
Murtha completed a number of demonstrations including a full power run,
self-defense detect-to-engage exercises, steering checks, boat handling,
anchoring and rapid ballast and de-ballast demonstrations. The tests conducted
during the underway period certified that all systems including main
propulsion, ship control, combat, communications and damage control were fully
inspected and validated for operational tasking.
"It's been two and half years since Ingalls last
conducted LPD acceptance trials," said Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Capt.
Joe Tuite. "The team did an excellent job preparing the ship for a
successful trials period. The ship was cleared for sea on the morning of the
second day, the earliest of any of the previous nine LPDs."
Murtha will be the tenth ship of the LPD 17 San Antonio
class to join the Fleet. The ship is scheduled to be commissioned in
Philadelphia this fall, and will be homeported in San Diego.
The principal mission of LPD 17 San Antonio class ships
is to deploy combat and support elements of Marine Expeditionary Units and
Brigades. With the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion or
conventional landing craft and augmented by helicopters or MV-22 vertical
take-off and landing aircraft, these ships support amphibious assault, special
operations, and expeditionary warfare missions.
As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition
organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and
procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support
ships, and special warfare craft.
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