HII has christened San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Harrisburg (LPD 30) at the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division.
“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.”
LPD 30 is named after Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital city, and commemorates the city’s rich history and longstanding support of the United States military. From its origins as a trading outpost to the present, the city of Harrisburg has played a key role in the development of the nation's industrial history. It also played a critical role during the nation’s Westward Migration, the American Civil War and the Industrial Revolution.
Harrisburg’s co-sponsors are Alexandra Curry, a resident of Middletown, Pennsylvania, 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.
“To the sailors and shipbuilders of the future USS Harrisburg, I extend to you my deepest congratulations,” Anderson said. “Thank you all for the work and sacrifices you have already made, and for everything you will do to bring this ship to life.”
PD 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.
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Christopher Mahoney also provided remarks during the ceremony.
“When you take America’s greatest shipbuilders, and you add to them, the world’s best sailors and a few hundred angry Marines, you’ve got USS Harrisburg,” Mahoney said. “This is where America’s amphibious shipbuilding muscle gets flexed and is a start point to return us, as a Navy-Marine Corps team, to persistent presence forward to face what I believe to be a generational challenge and contest.”
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).