LPD-28, the 12th ship in the San Antonio class line, may serve as somewhat of a bridge to the upcoming class of amphibious transport docks, currently dubbed the LX(R). As part of this transitional vessel, Lockheed wants to install its vaunted Aegis Combat System aboard it, giving the ship a much higher level of defensive capabilities, independence and situational awareness.
The Navy and Marine Corps were able to design an LX(R) dock landing ship replacement with greater capability for less money by starting with the higher-end San Antonio-class LPD-17 design, stripping away unneeded features and adding back in desired ones, service officials said last week.
The Navy is still working through the process, having approved the capability design document – which includes key performance parameters and key system attributes – three weeks ago and forwarded it to the Joint Staff for approval, Marianne Lyons, deputy program manager for LPD and LX(R), said at the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual Expeditionary Warfare Conference in Portsmouth, Va., last week.
The program is in the preliminary design phase now, she said, and will move to contract design in the spring and then detail design and construction in Fiscal Year 2020.
