HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl and officers Monday, March 18, 2024, for a meeting with Ingalls leadership and a shipyard tour. During the visit, Heckl had the opportunity to see first-hand the work taking place aboard amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8), and amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29). (Photo from Ingalls)
- The visit comes as the U.S. Navy recently announced their request to buy an LPD 17 Flight II ship in fiscal year 2025, with plans to buy another LPD in fiscal year 2027 and again in fiscal year 2029.
Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula hosted U.S. Marine Corps Lt. General Karsten Heckl and officers this week for a meeting with company leaders and to tour the Mississippi Coast shipyard.
Lt. General Heckl, the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for combat development and integration, reviewed the ongoing work aboard amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8), and amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29).
“It was great to see the hard work and passion that the Ingalls team is putting into the amphibious construction lines,” Heckl said in a statement. “I’m pleased that we are moving forward with the existing Flight II design of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships. As soon as they are delivered, our Marines will be ready to use them.”
The visit comes as the U.S. Navy recently announced their request to buy an LPD 17 Flight II ship in fiscal year 2025, with plans to buy another LPD in fiscal year 2027 and again in fiscal year 2029. These requests and potential contracts are not only key to national defense preparation but for the local Mississippi economy as Ingalls employs some 11,000 workers who depend on the backlog of work.
According to the Huntington Ingalls, the Pascagoula shipyard currently has three LPDs under construction including the final transition ship Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29), the first Flight II LPD Harrisburg (LPD 30), and Pittsburgh (LPD 31).
Ingalls also has under contract the third LPD Flight II, Philadelphia (LPD 32). Additionally, Ingalls has two large-deck amphibious ships under construction, Bougainville (LHA 8) and Fallujah (LHA 9).
Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said the company’s shipbuilders are committed to delivering amphibious ships to the fleet.
“We are dedicated to the mission and are ready to support the strong demand signal we see for the ships we build,” Wilkinson said. “We appreciate the importance of these ships and are proud to build them.”
Congressional leaders continue to finalize the remaining spending bills for the fiscal year this week, including funding at the Pentagon, as they seek to avoid a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers will then turn their attention to the upcoming fiscal year which is when future shipbuilding contracts will be considered.
Frank Corder
