Sen. Murkowski: Navy At Her Request To Name New Amphibious Transport Dock Ship After Anchorage, State's Largest City
Anchorage, AK - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced that the U.S. Navy at her request has agreed to name a new ship in honor of the state's largest city, Anchorage. The USS Anchorage, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, will be built starting in January 2006 and will be christened in fall of 2007.
The 684-foot long amphibious transport dock ship (LPD 23) will carry a crew of approximately 360 Navy sailors and 700 Marines. It will be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems at its Avondale Operations shipyard in New Orleans, La.
"Last October, the Navy decommissioned the old USS Anchorage (LSD-36), the oldest dock landing ship in the Navy, after she returned from service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The USS Anchorage served her nation well, and made her namesake proud, becoming the most decorated dock landing ship on the West Coast during her 34 years of service.
"It is only appropriate that the Navy name one of its newest amphibious transport dock ships (LPDs) after the City of Anchorage to follow her predecessor's record of accomplishment. It is a great honor to the citizens of the state's largest city to have one of the newest naval ships named in their honor," said Murkowski after being informed of the naming by the Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England.
"Anchorage has always been an important seaport and one of our Nation's great cities. For many years thousands of young men and women from Alaska have stepped forward to serve America as a Sailor or Marine. The warm hospitality of the people of Anchorage has always welcomed the Fleet. USS Anchorage will project American power to the far corners of the earth and support the cause of freedom well into the 21st century," said England.
The ship is slated to have her keel laid in January 2006, to be christened in October 2007 and to be fully commissioned in April 2009. The ship will be used to transport and land Marines, as well as their equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions. These personnel and supplies will be delivered via embarked landing craft air cushions, conventional landing craft or amphibious vehicles and can be augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
The LPD 23 will play a vital role in the success of our Navy/Marine Corps team, said England. He said the ship will carry joint combat forces to the fight with increased lift capacity, superior command and control capabilities and improved ship survivability. It will give Expeditionary Strike Groups greater speed, agility and reach and will help the U.S. dominate the near land battlespace.
The ship will include substantial quality of service improvements including sit-up berths, a ship services mall, an enhanced fitness center and a learning resource center. The ship, which will be built by Northrop Grumman Systems with Raytheon Systems Corp. and Intergraph Corp., will have a beam of 105 feet, displace approximately 24,900 tons at full load and have a speed in excess of 22 knots. It is powered by four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick Diesels, two shafts at 41,600 shaft horsepower.
It will be able to launch or land two CH53E Super Stallion helicopters or up to four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, Osprey tilt rotor aircraft, AH-1 or UH-1 helicopters. The ship will be equipped with two Bushmaster II 30 mm close in guns, fore and aft, and two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers fore and aft. It will be able to launch two LCACs (land craft/assault craft) and 14 Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles.
Murkowski thanked the Navy for so promptly moving to honor Alaska by the ship's naming coming only nine months after the decommissioning of the former vessel.