The United States’ largest shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) on Saturday christened San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Harrisburg (LPD 30) at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss.
Named after Pennsylvania’s capital city, the 684' LPD 30 will be the U.S. Navy’s 14th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship and the first Flight II in the class. When delivered, the ship will support expeditionary warfare, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
Harrisburg’s co-sponsors are Alexandra Curry, a resident of Middletown, Pa., and wife of Middletown’s mayor, and Jennifer Díaz, a resident of Philadelphia, and wife of Chris Díaz, chief of staff to the Secretary of the Navy. The pair were honored during Saturday’s ceremony and officially christened Harrisburg by smashing a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the ship.
Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, program executive officer, ships, provided the keynote address. Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Christopher Mahoney also provided remarks during the ceremony.
“Today is more than just a christening; it is a celebration of craftsmanship, commitment and the enduring purpose of the work we do every day at Ingalls,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette said. “Like its namesake, Harrisburg — with its rich history of strength, resilience and leadership — shares the same qualities reflected in our shipbuilders, whose dedication ensures the Navy and Marine Corps have the advanced ships they need to protect and defend our nation.”
Ingalls is the sole provider of LPD 17 San Antonio-class ships and has delivered LPDs 17-29 to date. Currently, Ingalls has two Flight II LPDs under construction including Harrisburg and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). Pre-construction activities are currently underway for the construction of Philadelphia (LPD 32). Additionally, in September 2024, the Navy awarded Ingalls a contract for the construction of three more San Antonio-class amphibious ships (LPDs 33-35).
