Keel Laid: October 14, 2002
Launched: November 20, 2004
Commissioned: March 10, 2007
Builder: Northroop Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale Division,
New Orleans, LA.
Propulsion system: 4 - Colt-Pielstick 2.5 STC
diesel engines
Propellers: 2 - Inboard rotating (top) fixed pitch
propellers
Length, overall: 684 feet (208.5 meters)
Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters)
Draft: 23 feet (7.0 meters)
Displacement: approx. 24.433 tons full load
Speed: ~22 knots
Crew: 28 Officers, 30 CPO/SNCO, 332 Enlisted;
Marine detachment: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge to 800 total
Well deck capacity: two LCACs
Aviation: one CH-53E, or
two CH-46s, or one MV-22, or three UH/AH-1s
Armament:
- 2 - MK 31 Mod 0 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) Launchers
- 2 - MK 46 Mod 1 30mm Gun systems
- 2 - MK 26 Mod 18 .50 Cal Machine guns
Homeport: San Diego, CA. |
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Friday, January 05, 2007
The Navy accepted delivery of the
second in the LPD 17 class of amphibious transport dock ship on Dec. 22.
The acceptance of the future USS New Orleans, marks the culmination of
millions of hours in conceptual planning, design, construction, and
testing of this advanced amphibious warship. New Orleans recently
completed Builder's and Acceptance Trials during which the shipbuilder,
Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, successfully demonstrated this new
warship's tremendous range of capability. Main propulsion, engineering and
ship control systems, mission and combat systems, damage control, food
service and crew support systems were exercised. The ship earned
satisfactory scores for the major demonstrations characterizing the ship's
performance which led to the Board of Inspection and Survey’s
recommendation to accept the ship. Accepting delivery of New Orleans for
the Navy, Capt. Dexter, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast, noted,
“There is still work to be done before New Orleans joins the fleet,
however today starts the Navy’s ownership of this exceptionally versatile
amphibious warship. I know that the Sailors and Marines who sail her will
appreciate the state-of-the-art features designed into her.” New Orleans
will support the Navy-Marine Corps “mobility triad” of air-cushioned
landing craft (LCAC), Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles, and MV-22 Osprey
tiltrotor aircraft in future Expeditionary Strike Groups. Integrating
dozens of unique systems with state-of-the art technology, the ship will
be technically adaptable for deployments in the next few years or for
future requirements 40 years from now. USS New Orleans will be the first
West Coast homeported ship of the San Antonio class. With her unusual
profile, characterized by the distinctive Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor
System masts, USS New Orleans will look like no other warship when she
arrives in San Diego this spring. Internally, the ship’s Shipboard Wide
Area Network, variety of firefighting systems, sit-up berths and advanced
command and control capabilities will also make her a distinctive
amphibious ship. Most significant will be New Orleans ability to embark,
transport, and land 800 troops and nearly 25,000 cubic feet of combat
vehicles and weapons. The next milestones for the ship will be transfer of
custody to the Prospective Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Brad Skillman, and
his crew’s who will move aboard in January 2007. The Navy will then
commission New Orleans in March 2007 in her namesake city. In 2007 the
Navy is also scheduled to commission sister ship Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and
Northrop Grumman will launch New York (LPD 21) and lay the keel for the
future San Diego (LPD 22). Currently, five ships of the class are in
construction or in pre-fabrication at the Gulf Coast shipyards.
Source: Navsea Newswire |
