Background

San Antonio was christened July 19, 2003, by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. The ship was delivered to the Navy and commissioned as USS San Antonio in 2006. USS San Antonio is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. This ship is the first amphibious transport dock of the twelve-ship San Antonio class.

Named for the city of San Antonio, USS San Antonio incorporates advanced performance and war fighting technologies that will enhance the fleet's operational flexibility and ability to support emerging concepts such as Sea Power 21, Operational Maneuver from the Sea (OMFTS) and Ship-to-Objective Maneuver (STOM). Among the advanced features that distinguish San Antonio are composite-material advanced enclosed mast/sensor systems; state-of-the-art C4ISR and self-defense systems; a shipboard-wide area network (SWAN) "information superhighway;" and improved habitability for embarked Sailors and Marines. Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Avondale, Louisiana, and Pascagoula, Mississippi, constructed LPD 17.

San Antonio is designed for 21st century expeditionary forces. Its improved aviation facilities include a hangar to accommodate a flexible mix of helicopters and the Marine Corps' new tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey aircraft and an enlarged flight deck capable of supporting all Marine Corps rotary-wing operations. San Antonio's well deck is sized for the launch and recovery of two landing craft, air cushions (LCAC) - each capable of high-speed transportation of 60 tons of cargo and vehicles (e.g. one M1A1 tank) at 40 knots or one conventional landing craft, the landing craft utility (LCU).

With two fully loaded LCACs in San Antonio's well deck, the ship can also transport combat ready Marines to their land objectives while providing combat support with two 30mm guns. The ability of San Antonio to carry LCACs helps sea warriors execute expeditionary missions throughout the world.

Name

Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton named the lead ship of the LPD 17 class San Antonio in 1996. The ship is named in honor of the city of San Antonio, Texas.

“USS San Antonio will be the most high-tech, advanced amphibious ship ever built. It is an honor for me to name such an important new combat ship after San Antonio, site of the battle of the Alamo. It is also important that we keep alive the tradition of naming ships after American cities,” said Dalton.

Ship Characteristics

• Length: 684 feet (208.5 meters)

• Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters)

• Displacement: 24,900 long ship tons

• Speed: In excess of 22 knots (24.2 mph)

• Aircraft: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously; the ship's hangar can store 1-2 aircraft

• Armament: Two 30mm Close-in-Guns, for surface threat defense; two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers for air defense

• Landing Craft: Two LCACs (air cushion) or one LCU (conventional)

• EFVs: 14 Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles

• Power plant: Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 Hp

• Crew: 360 Sailors (28 officers, 332 enlisted) and 3 Marines

• Troops: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted)

• LPD 17 Class: San Antonio (LPD 17) , New Orleans (LPD 18) , Mesa Verde (LPD 19) , Green Bay (LPD 20) , New York (LPD 21) , and San Diego (LPD 22) , Anchorage (LPD 23) , Arlington (LPD 24), and Somerset (LPD 25)

• Motto: “Never Retreat ... Never Surrender”