Ingalls Shipbuilding delivers to US Navy amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6)

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division delivered the amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) to the U.S. Navy today. More than 900 crew members marched through the shipyard for a delivery ceremony on the ship's flight deck, where they joined Ingalls shipbuilders and personnel from the U.S. Navy's Supervisor of Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast, the shipbuilding company said in a press release.

Cuccias read a congratulatory letter from U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.). "On behalf of the United States Congress, it is my honor and privilege to welcome the delivery of America into the Navy/Marine Corps fleet," Palazzo wrote. "She brings to the fleet awesome amphibious and humanitarian capabilities. She is lethal, and she is survivable, able to withstand some of the toughest blows our future enemies may have to offer. That capability and survivability were built into this great ship by America's shipbuilders—the men and women of Ingalls Shipbuilding. The best warships the world has ever seen are built right here in South Mississippi."

America completed sea trials in February, with no major deficiencies identified. Following delivery, the commissioning crew will move aboard and begin shipboard training in preparation for the ship's sail-away. Commissioning is slated for late 2014 in San Francisco.

When America enters the fleet, she will be the flagship of an Expeditionary Strike Group, strategically positioning Marine Expeditionary Units ashore across a full spectrum of missions, including humanitarian, disaster relief, maritime security, antipiracy and other operations while providing air support for ground forces.

America-class ships are 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and displace 44,971 long tons. The gas-turbine propulsion system will drive the ships in excess of 20 knots. They will accommodate a crew of 1,059 (65 officers) and 1,687 troops. The America class will be capable of carrying a Marine Expeditionary Unit, including Marine helicopters, MV‐22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and F‐35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

The newest class has an increased aviation capacity to include an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity.

Huntington Ingalls Industries designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe. For more than a century, HII has built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder at its Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions. Employing more than 38,000 in Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and California, HII also provides a wide variety of products and services to the commercial energy industry and other government customers, including the Department of Energy.