USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) is the 13th and final Flight I San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock of the United States Navy.[2][7] She is named after US Navy officer and Medal of Honor recipient Richard M. McCool, Jr. Richard M. McCool Jr. was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi.[8] She was christened on 11 June 2022[5][9] and formally delivered to the US Navy on 11 April 2024.[10]
Richard M. McCool Jr.'s sister ships USS San Antonio and USS New York.
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Richard M. McCool Jr.[2] |
Namesake | Richard Miles McCool |
Awarded | 23 February 2018[2] |
Builder | Ingalls Shipbuilding |
Cost | US$1.4B (FY2017)[6] |
Laid down | 12 April 2019[3] |
Launched | 5 January 2022[1] |
Sponsored by | Shana McCool, Kate Oja |
Christened | 11 June 2022[5] |
Identification | Pennant number: LPD-29 |
Motto | Certa ut unitas non ut singuli, "Fight as a unit, not as individuals"[4] |
Status | Delivered |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock |
Displacement | 25,000 tons full |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draft | 7 m (23 ft) |
Propulsion | Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 hp (30 MW) |
Speed | 22 knots (41 km/h) |
Boats & landing craft carried | |
Capacity | 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge to 800 total. |
Complement | 28 officers, 333 enlisted |
Sensors and processing systems | AN/SPS-73(V)18 - Next Generation Surface Search Radar |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried | Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously. |
Like her immediate predecessor, USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), Richard M. McCool Jr. will be a "transitional ship" between the current San Antonio-class Flight I design and future Flight II vessels, starting with USS Harrisburg (LPD-30), and as such will feature design improvements developed in connection with the Navy's development of the LX(R)-class amphibious warfare ship, (which is intended to replace the current Whidbey Island-class and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships).[11][12]: (Summary) Richard M. McCool Jr. incorporates the changes that will be introduced in Fort Lauderdale intended to reduce the cost compared to the San Antonio-class, including: simplified bow works, replacement of the forward and aft composite masts with steel masts, removal of structures from the boat valley, and a stern gate which is open at the top. In addition, unlike Fort Lauderdale, Richard M. McCool Jr. will use the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) volume air search radar.[13]
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.