USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29)
Richard M. McCool Jr.'s sister ships USS San Antonio and USS New York.
History
United States
NameRichard M. McCool Jr.[2]
NamesakeRichard Miles McCool
Awarded23 February 2018[2]
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding
CostUS$1.4B (FY2017)[6]
Laid down12 April 2019[3]
Launched5 January 2022[1]
Sponsored byShana McCool, Kate Oja
Christened11 June 2022[5]
IdentificationPennant number: LPD-29
MottoCerta ut unitas non ut singuli, "Fight as a unit, not as individuals"[4]
StatusDelivered
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeSan Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
Displacement25,000 tons full
Length
  • 208.5 m (684 ft) overall,
  • 201.4 m (661 ft) waterline
Beam
  •   31.9 m (105 ft) extreme,
  •   29.5 m (97 ft) waterline
Draft 7 m (23 ft)
PropulsionFour Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 hp (30 MW)
Speed22 knots (41 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • Two LCACs (air cushion)
  • or one LCU (conventional)
Capacity699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge to 800 total.
Complement28 officers, 333 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems		AN/SPS-73(V)18 - Next Generation Surface Search Radar
Armament
Aircraft carriedFour CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously.

USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) is the 13th and final Flight I San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock of the United States Navy.[2][7] She is named after US Navy officer and Medal of Honor recipient Richard M. McCool, Jr. Richard M. McCool Jr. was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi.[8] She was christened on 11 June 2022[5][9] and formally delivered to the US Navy on 11 April 2024.[10]

Design

Like her immediate predecessor, USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), Richard M. McCool Jr. will be a "transitional ship" between the current San Antonio-class Flight I design and future Flight II vessels, starting with USS Harrisburg (LPD-30), and as such will feature design improvements developed in connection with the Navy's development of the LX(R)-class amphibious warfare ship, (which is intended to replace the current Whidbey Island-class and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships).[11][12]: (Summary)  Richard M. McCool Jr. incorporates the changes that will be introduced in Fort Lauderdale intended to reduce the cost compared to the San Antonio-class, including: simplified bow works, replacement of the forward and aft composite masts with steel masts, removal of structures from the boat valley, and a stern gate which is open at the top. In addition, unlike Fort Lauderdale, Richard M. McCool Jr. will use the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) volume air search radar.[13]

References

  1. ^ "HII Launches Amphibious Transport Dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Keel of Richard M. McCool (LPD 29) Authenticated at Ingalls Shipbuilding" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  4. ^ "USS Richard McCool Jr. (LPD 29)". The Institute of Heraldry. U.S. Army. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b "HII Christens Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  6. ^ Eckstein, Megan (16 February 2018). "Navy Signs $1.4B Contract with Ingalls Shipbuilding for 13th San Antonio". USNI News. U.S. Naval Institute. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Navy's Newest LPD to be Named in Honor of WWII Medal of Honor Recipient" (Press release). U.S. Navy. 2 May 2018. NNS180502-12. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Fabrication Begins on Amphibious Assault Ship Richard M. McCool, Jr" (Press release). U.S. Navy. 30 July 2018. NNS180730-29. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Christening of Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29)". Huntington Ingalls. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. ^ "HII DELIVERS AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT DOCK RICHARD M. MCCOOL JR. (LPD 29) TO U.S. NAVY". Huntington Ingalls. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  11. ^ Eckstein, Megan (11 April 2018). "Navy Designates Upcoming LX(R) Amphibs as San Antonio-Class LPD Flight II". USNI News. U.S. Naval Institute. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  12. ^ O'Rourke, Ronald (13 April 2018). "Navy LPD-17 Flight II (LX[R]) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  13. ^ Eckstein, Megan (12 January 2018). "Navy Wants FY 2018 Amphib to be First-in-Class LX(R), Not a 14th LPD". USNI News. U.S. Naval Institute. Retrieved 2 May 2018.

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

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