Ingalls awarded $9.5 billion multi-ship U.S. Navy contract

• The multi-ship buy with the Pascagoula-based shipbuilder is projected to save taxpayer dollars while investing in the nation’s shipbuilding infrastructure and supporting combat readiness.

Pascagoula’s Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls, has been awarded U.S. Navy procurement contracts totaling nearly $9.5 billion for the construction of three San Antonio-class (LPD 17) amphibious ships and a contract modification for the next America-class (LHA 6) large-deck amphibious ship.

The combined procurement contract is the first of its kind for amphibious ships. According to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), by using this strategy, as authorized by Congress, the Navy is projected to achieve more than $901 million in cost avoidance as compared to the use of annual contracts.

Ingalls’ shipbuilders will construct LPDs 33, 34, 35 and LHA 10 for the U.S. Navy.

“We greatly appreciate the stability that this award provides to all Ingalls shipbuilders and our surrounding communities,” said Ingalls president Kari Wilkinson. “It is an honor to continue our support of the joint Navy and Marine Corps mission to meet the minimum 31 amphibious ship requirement.”

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a leader behind this contract effort, hopes this contract model will be used in the future to save taxpayer dollars and support combat readiness.

“It is terrific that the Navy has made official what many of us have known for years: the future of American seapower flows through the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I am pleased that a new tranche of amphibious warships will be built by my home state’s skilled shipbuilders,” Senator Wicker said. “I am hopeful that the Department of Defense uses cost-saving multi-ship procurement model for other critical defense programs in the future.”

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said the contract shows the department’s commitment to investing in the nation’s shipbuilding infrastructure.

“The importance of this multiple amphibious ship purchase cannot be overstated with respect to our whole-of-government effort to restore the maritime capabilities of the United States,” said Del Toro in a statement. “This purchase sends a steady demand signal to our shipbuilding industrial base that our Navy is actively investing in our shipbuilding infrastructure.”

According to Ingalls, the shipyard has to date delivered 13 San Antonio-class ships and 15 large-deck amphibious ships to the U.S. Navy. Currently, the LHA production line includes the construction of Bougainville (LHA 8) and Fallujah (LHA 9). In addition, Ingalls has two Flight II LPDs under construction including Harrisburg (LPD 30) and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). In March 2023, Ingalls was awarded a modification to the contract for the procurement of the detail design and construction of Philadelphia (LPD 32), the 16th ship in the San Antonio class.

In a notice from NAVSEA, Capt. Matthew Tardy, program manager, Amphibious Warfare Program, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships said the partnership between the Navy and Ingalls Shipbuilding is important.

“We are proud to be working with their talented workforce to build and deliver highly capable ships and provide needed stability for the shipbuilding industrial base,” Capt. Tardy said.

NAVSEA noted that Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships), one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, manages the design and construction of destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, as well as a wide range of boats and craft for U.S. agencies and foreign military sales. These platforms enable our nation and its allies to project presence in peace, power in wartime, and assured access at all times.