PHOTO RELEASE -- INGALLS SHIPBUILDING DELIVERS AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT DOCK ANCHORAGE (LPD 23)

AVONDALE, La., Sept. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has delivered the amphibious transport dock Anchorage (LPD 23) to the U.S. Navy. It is the seventh ship of the San Antonio (LPD 17) class built at Ingalls.

"Today is a testament to the hard work and outstanding performance by our LPD shipbuilding team," said Doug Lounsberry, vice president, LPD 17 Program. "Our dedicated shipbuilding professionals continue to improve on the complex design, construction and testing of each ship in this program. That diligent work lays the foundation necessary for sailors and Marines to accomplish their missions while deployed."

The ship recently completed U.S. Navy acceptance trials, with shipbuilders successfully accomplishing more than 200 tests on the ship during the sea trial period.

Ingalls has now delivered seven ships in the class and has four more in various stages of development or construction. LPDs are built to be survivable and flexible. The complex, survivable ships enable the services to carry out their missions without constraints or additional assets.

The 11 ships of the LPD 17 class are a key element of the Navy's ability to project power ashore. Collectively, they functionally replace more than 41 ships (the LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113 and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships), providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate with 21st century platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey.

The LPD 17-class ships are 684 feet long and 105 feet wide and displace approximately 25,000 tons. Their principal mission is to deploy the combat and support elements of Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades. The ships can carry up to 800 troops and have the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing crafts, augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft such as the MV-22. The ships will support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.