US Navy awards $1.5 bln contract to Ingalls

PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI (BNS): The US Navy has recently awarded $1.5 billion worth defence contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) for the construction of the 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock.

The contract will be used to build John P. Murtha (LPD 26), with construction expected to start in May.

The announcement was made Tuesday in Pascagoula, with local and state officials present. The contract will carry the company into the year 2016.

"Our ships are the ones that are out there supporting their mission. We are excited we are aligned with the Navy's ship plan," Irwin F. Edenzon, corporate vice president and general manager of Gulf Coast Operations, was quoted as saying in the company news release.

Ingalls designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the US Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe.

The company was previously a business sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation until effectively separating on March 31 in a spinoff of the company to shareholders.

Ingalls Shipbuilding has delivered the first five ships of the San Antonio class, LPDs 17-21. San Diego (LPD 22) will undergo sea trials this summer; Anchorage (LPD 23) will be christened at the company's Avondale facility on May 14; Arlington (LPD 24) was christened on March 26, and Somerset (LPD 25) is 40 percent complete and will be launched in 2012.