Shipyard Lays Keel, Begins Construction on Mesa Verde
NAVSEA News
By Chief Journalist David Nagle, Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Shipyard workers at Northrop Grumann Ship Systems (NGSS) Ingalls Operation laid the keel for Mesa Verde (LPD 19) during a small ceremony on February 25 at the Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard.
Mesa Verde is the third ship of the San Antonio class, amphibious transport dock ships. These new ships will play a key role in 21st century Navy and Marine Corps expeditionary warfare by embarking, transporting and landing elements of an assault landing force by helicopters, vertical take-off and landing aircraft, air cushion landing craft and amphibious vehicles.
Although keel laying is traditionally the first step in ship construction, Mesa Verde began pre-fabrication in August 2002 and has 12 of its 210 modular construction units already erected. When completed, Mesa Verde will be 648 feet long and carry a crew of 361 Sailors and up to 800 Marines.
Mesa Verde is named in recognition of Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. It is scheduled for commissioning in January 2006.
Mesa Verde's sister ships, San Antonio (LPD 17) and New Orleans (LPD 18) are under construction at NGSS' Avondale Operation near New Orleans, while construction on Green Bay (LPD 20) is scheduled to begin this spring. San Antonio will be christened in July and commissioned in 2005. The first members of its pre-commissioning crew will begin reporting to the ship this fall.
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