[SwinneySwitch]

USS SAN ANTONIO (LPD-17)

[ProudVet77]

It's the fleet's first "gender-neutral" ship, with living quarters and showers for women. Women, additionally, will be able to reach controls on the bridge and other parts of the San Antonio as easily as men will.

Puke alert. Amphibs are the dirtiest, most vulnerable ships int he fleet. This is not the type of ship for women to be on. And yes I am a sexist.

[WestTexasWend]

Thanks for posting this! Wonder if it'll honor the Klebergs with a King Ranch suite? ;)

[ProudVet77]

"It's the Navy's first stealth ship, using fewer angles from protruding pieces of steel and a pair of eight-sided twin masts to reduce its radar signature."
Since the 60's DEs/FFs have had a single round mast, referred to as MACs. The have more than 8 sides, but were not particularly stealthy. I also notice no antennas or transmitters up the masts. IFF systems by definition if pinged will give away your position. As will any active air/sea search systems. Unless you go EMCON and make the antennas disappear they will find you. Besides, they can hear you beneath the water even better.

[Jeff Head]

Here she is in dry dock:

Here she is at pier side in pre-commissioning:

[Jeff Head]

Launching last year:

[Jeff Head]

Christening

[lormand]

Kinda gives a different meaning to "Riverwalk".

[El Gran Salseron]

Ah, yes. The murky, muddy, oily, stinky Mississippi River at murky, muddy, oily, stinky Avondale Shipyards Hellhole in Avondale, Louisiana.

Ah, the memories.....

[csvset]

The U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious ship, pre commissioning unit San Antonio (LPD 17), underway in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time during her initial at-sea testing. San Antonio returned to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Pascagoula shipyard on May 3, 2005 for resumption of dockside pre-delivery testing and crew training. Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems