New US Navy Warship Richard M. McCool, Jr. Sails Away from Ingalls Shipbuilding
The U.S. Navy's new warship, Richard M. McCool, Jr. (LPD 29), set sail from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Thursday, heading toward its commissioning location in Pensacola, Fla.
Delivered in April, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship is scheduled to be commissioned on September 7, 2024, at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola.
Richard M. McCool, Jr. marks the 13th San Antonio-class vessel built by Ingalls and is the final Flight I transition ship before the shift to the LPD Flight II series. It is also the first of the LPD 17-class to be equipped with the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, SPY-6(V)2, a rotating S-Band radar. This advanced radar system enhances the Navy's capabilities by providing a unified hardware standard for aircraft carriers and amphibious ships, improving target engagement and overall self-defense.
Ingalls Shipbuilding is currently constructing two Flight II LPDs, Harrisburg (LPD 30) and Pittsburgh (LPD 31), and in March 2023, secured a contract modification for the detailed design and construction of Philadelphia (LPD 32), the 16th San Antonio-class ship and the third Flight II LPD.
Amphibious transport docks like the Richard M. McCool, Jr. are used for deploying Marines, their equipment, and supplies. They facilitate landings via Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft, and amphibious assault vehicles, as well as helicopters and vertical take-off aircraft. These ships are crucial for amphibious assaults, special operations, and expeditionary warfare, serving also as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious missions.
LPD 29 is named in honor of U.S. Navy Capt. Richard M. McCool, Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 for the heroism he displayed after his ship was attacked by kamikaze aircraft in the Battle of Okinawa. He led efforts to battle a blazing fire on his ship and rescue injured sailors despite suffering from shrapnel wounds and painful burns.