Navy Takes Delivery of Future USS New York

AVONDALE, La. In this Mar. 1, 2008 file photo, Mrs. Dottty England, wife of then Deputy Secretary of Defense The Hon. Gordon England, christens the amphibious transport dock Pre-Commissioning Unit New York (LPD 21) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding New Orleans. The bow of the New York is built with metal recovered from the World Trade Center site. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tiffini M. Jones.)

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2009 -- The Navy officially accepted delivery of the future USS New York (LPD 21) from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) during a ceremony Aug. 21 at the company's Avondale shipyard in New Orleans.

New York is the first of three LPD 17-class ships built in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The ship's bow stem was constructed using 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center. The Navy named the eighth and ninth ships of the class - Arlington and Somerset - in honor of the victims of the attacks on the Pentagon and United Flight 93 respectively. Arlington and Somerset are also incorporating materials salvaged from those sites.

New York completed acceptance trials July 24, performing well for the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). During the detailed inspection, all shipboard systems and equipment, including combat, ship, machinery control and mission systems, were successfully demonstrated during a series of demanding inport and at-sea test events. This trial confirmed the continuing improved class trend in system design specifications and quality assurance programs.

"This ship will be a symbol," said Capt. Bill Galinis, the LPD 17-class program manager for the Navy's Program Executive Office for Ships. "The Navy and the shipbuilder have worked hand-in-hand to deliver this highly capable warship to the Navy and our nation. It has been a tremendous privilege for all of us who have had an opportunity to participate in the construction of this ship."

The principal mission of LPD 17-class amphibious transport dock ships is to transport and deploy the necessary combat and support elements of Marine expeditionary units and brigades. The ship will carry approximately 720 troops and have the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and expeditionary fighting vehicles (EFV), augmented by helicopters or vertical take off and landing aircraft (MV 22). These ships will support amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.

New York is the fifth ship of the LPD 17-class and the fifth ship in the Navy to be named after the Empire State. Arrival in New York is scheduled for November. Early events will be focused on ship's crew, their families, first responders and 9/11 families. Public viewing is scheduled in the days prior to and days following the commissioning, slated for Nov. 7.

(Report from a U.S. Navy news release.)

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