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  • LHA-7 Tripoli

    PASCAGOULA, Miss., June 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) authenticated the keel today for the future multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7). The warship is under construction at the company's Ingalls Shipbuilding division and was officially authenticated by its sponsor, Lynne Mabus, wife of U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, and Steve Senk, an HII employee who was awarded the Silver Star for his actions to save the second USS Tripoli (LPH 10) after the ship struck a mine during Operation Desert Storm.

    Secretary Mabus paid tribute to the Ingalls shipbuilders during his remarks. "Today, we have 100 ships forward-deployed around the world," he said. "They're out there standing the watch, protecting this country. They're a long way from home. They're there because of the great work of the shipbuilders here at Huntington Ingalls. They're there because you are building the most technologically advanced platforms in the world, and you are building them for the defense of this country. We couldn't put the fleet to sea—we wouldn't have a fleet—without the dedicated men and women who work here."

    Gov. Phil Bryant also attended the ceremony and had similar praise for the Ingalls workforce. "You are building the most technologically advanced warships on the planet right here in Pascagoula, Mississippi," he said. "Those of you who stand here today with the hardhats on are making sure that our warfighters now and for generations to come will have the ships they need to defend liberty around the world. There is no better work. God has blessed you with the talent and the ability to do this. Let us not take it for granted. Let us always remember that what you do here today will save lives and defend liberty."

    The future USS Tripoli and the future USS America (LHA 6) are the first two ships in a new class of amphibious assault ships for the U.S. Navy. The ship will be 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and will displace 44,971 long tons.

    "We have been building large-deck amphibious assault ships here at Ingalls for more than 48 years," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "Our facility is uniquely structured and our shipbuilders are uniquely qualified to continue building these great ships. LHAs are the most complex conventionally powered Navy warships that are built, and we are excited about delivering Tripoli for our customer and our nation."

    The fuel-efficient gas turbine propulsion system will drive the ship in excess of 20 knots. The warship will accommodate a crew of 1,204 (with 102 officers) and 1,871 troops. Tripoli will be capable of carrying a Marine Expeditionary Unit, including Marine helicopters, MV‐22 Osprey VTOL tiltrotor aircraft and F‐35B Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL aircraft.

    At the culmination of the ceremony, Mrs. Mabus signified that the keel of Tripoli had been "truly and fairly laid." Ingalls welder George Powe then welded her initials, along with HII employee Steve Senk's, onto a ceremonial keel plate that will remain with the ship. Senk, who works at the company's Continental Maritime subsidiary in San Diego, served as a lieutenant commander on the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship also built at Ingalls.

    "It was in this shipyard where my grandparents worked, and my grandmother was even a real-life 'Rosie the Riveter,'" Mrs. Mabus said. "We have a family photo of her standing in a pair of trousers with a bandana on her head just like in the poster. The money from these jobs enabled my mother to grow up. And as a child growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, I spent many summers here in Pascagoula, near the water, the shrimp boats and the skyline of the shipyard. They are still such a vivid part of my memory."

    Like the lead ship in the class, America, Tripoli is designed for survivability with increased aviation capacity, including an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity. Similar to its predecessors, the ship will be able to operate as the flagship for an expeditionary strike group. Ingalls has built five Tarawa-class (LHA 1) ships and eight Wasp-class (LHD 1) ships. The first of the America class was recently delivered and will be commissioned on Oct. 11 in San Francisco.

    Tripoli will be the third ship to bear the name commemorating the capture of Derna, Libya, in 1805 by a small force of U.S. Marines and approximately 370 soldiers from 11 other nationalities. The battle, later memorialized in the Marines' Hymn with the line "to the shores of Tripoli" brought about a successful conclusion to the combined operations of the First Barbary War.

    Huntington - News Releases - Photo Release --Ingalls Shipbuilding Authenticates Keel of Amphibious Assault Ship Tripoli (LHA 7)

  • #2
    Here is a Huntington Ingalls photo of Tripoli being assembled.

    https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...88579993_o.jpg

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    • #3
      Are you sure it is not the LHD-7? The last LHA class ships ended at 5. Most of them are now fishing reefs or park benches. I was the structural project leader on the three Tarawa class ships assigned to LBNSY as their home ports. After they started coming apart at the seams, I was assigned to straighten out 4 of the 6 cargo-weapons elevator rails on the USS Essex (LHD-2) that looked like sidewinder rattlesnakes when you looked down on them from the upper deck.

      Also, the photo shown is that of an LHD with it's extended bulbous bow but NO BOW THRUSTOR. The LHA's had a bow thrustor just aft of the bow for holding station while disembarking troops (or even coming into port). I watched the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) holding station perfectly while landing a regiment of Marines at Camp Pendleton. In my opinion, she was the best of the class, until a freak wave caved in her entire port bow shell plating. That's when we found out that Ingalls hired very inexperienced welders and used "short arc" welding (welding rod on the positive pole rather than negative thus not fusing the base metals together).

      I'll never forget the panic message we got from NAVSEA telling us not to do "short arc" welding on the Iowa class Battleships. Hell! WE ARE THE LONG BEACH NAVAL SHIPYARD and had the best welders in the world. In my second year as a shipfitter apprentice (1955) I was sent to welding school so we KNEW THE DIFFERENCES from the EXPERTS.
      Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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      • #4
        Rusty, no it's not a Tarawa, nor an LHD. It has no dock. LHA 6 and 7 are America Class LHA's.

        And of course LHD 7 does have a dock and is the USS Iwo Jima that was commissioned in 2001.
        Last edited by surfgun; 30 Jun 16,, 03:58.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by surfgun View Post
          Rusty, no it's not a Tarawa, nor an LHD. It has no dock. LHA 6 and 7 are America Class LHA's.

          And of course LHD 7 does have a dock and is the USS Iwo Jima that was commissioned in 2001.
          Thanks for the update. Since I retired in 1994, this board is about the only means I have to know what kinds of ships our Navy now has. Forgive me for sounding a bit crude, but I HATE Ingalls. They reactivated the Iowa and did a horrible job on her. She's just a 20 minute drive from my house and I'm still finding Congressional Pork Barrel screw ups on her.
          Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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          • #6
            It will be interesting if they will still keep LHA-8 as an LHA since it will have a welldeck. Additionally, what's going to be the trade off in regards to the size of the hangar bay and the welldeck.

            Regardless, it's common knowledge that LHD's with even hull numbers below five and above three are the finest in the Gator Navy.
            "We are all special cases." - Camus

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            • #7
              LHA 8 will have a smaller island.
              http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ha-8-schem.htm

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              • #8
                Originally posted by surfgun View Post
                Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that. Besides the reduced island, they removing some massive troop berthing spaces (I'm all for less Marines onboard), and they are only accommodating 2x LCAC's as opposed to 3x that are on LHD's.
                "We are all special cases." - Camus

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                • #9
                  Here is a picture of what LHA 8 is to look like.

                  https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...15388800_o.jpg

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by surfgun View Post
                    Here is a picture of what LHA 8 is to look like.

                    https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...15388800_o.jpg
                    The only big deck amphib i have seen that looks like the artist rendering was the KOR DOKDO. That thing was CLEAN. Like, too clean. Like it needed a few good deployments.

                    I also looked at the line drawings again and realized the gym is also going to a lot smaller, or they are going to have to move it. And for crying out loud, can they get the flight deck right on LHA-7/8?
                    "We are all special cases." - Camus

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Squirrel View Post
                      Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that. Besides the reduced island, they removing some massive troop berthing spaces (I'm all for less Marines onboard), and they are only accommodating 2x LCAC's as opposed to 3x that are on LHD's.
                      I wonder if they are actually getting rid of them or predesignating it as "Overflow" hospital space.

                      I know there was a portion of troop berthing that had an access door to medical on LHDs 1 and 3 that were considered med spaces. Casualty racks. My unit stayed in them.

                      Good that the gym is getting smaller. Marine E-6 (and E-7 overflow) Berthing was right below the gym. Nothing is conductive to good sleep like listening to people dropping weights day and night. Thanks to the Bosins who let us smoke on the Focsle. Right outside our compartment. As long as we policed up and stayed away from the anchor area.

                      And hey, Marines on board are the reason those ships exist. Even if we do make the lines for chow and the ships store really long

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                        I wonder if they are actually getting rid of them or predesignating it as "Overflow" hospital space.

                        I know there was a portion of troop berthing that had an access door to medical on LHDs 1 and 3 that were considered med spaces. Casualty racks. My unit stayed in them.

                        Good that the gym is getting smaller. Marine E-6 (and E-7 overflow) Berthing was right below the gym. Nothing is conductive to good sleep like listening to people dropping weights day and night. Thanks to the Bosins who let us smoke on the Focsle. Right outside our compartment. As long as we policed up and stayed away from the anchor area.

                        And hey, Marines on board are the reason those ships exist. Even if we do make the lines for chow and the ships store really long
                        Those are overflow, but still a Marine berthing, they are doors on the port and starboard side that lead in to it.

                        The gym these days is packed, at all hours. A smaller gym will probably piss a lot of people off. I get the thing about the weights being dropped all day... and all night, but... no berthing is perfect.

                        I know that's why the amphibs exist, but i still dont have to enjoy sharing my ship! Nobody appreciates the boat more than Ship's Company.
                        "We are all special cases." - Camus

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                        • #13
                          A video of moving large hull segments of LHA 7.

                          https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_xY8mz1Ti-Y

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                          • #14
                            Video: placing the deckhouse.

                            https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_HBLob2TQEQ

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by surfgun View Post
                              Video: placing the deckhouse.

                              https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_HBLob2TQEQ
                              Freakin awesome! Such a massive piece of metal.
                              "We are all special cases." - Camus

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