The future USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) recently successfully completed builder’s sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Not your typical San Antonio-class gator, LPD 29 is equipped with the first SPY-6(V)2 in the fleet. The Raytheon-produced SPY-6(V)2 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) features air traffic control and ship self-defense capabilities and will be carried by future big-deck phibs and retrofitted to Nimitz-class carriers during refits.
Ingalls Shipbuilding image
Ingalls Shipbuilding image
Ingalls Shipbuilding image
As noted by Ingalls:
Ingalls Shipbuilding has delivered 12 San Antonio-class ships and currently has three LPDs under construction, including Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29); Harrisburg (LPD 30), the first Flight II LPD; and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). LPD Flight II is the next generation amphibious ship to replace Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) classes of dock landing ships.