USS Richard M. McCool Jr.
US Navy amphibious transport ship
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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.[1][9] 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.[10] She was christened on 11 June 2022,[5][11] formally delivered to the US Navy on 11 April 2024,[12] and commissioned on 7 September 2024.
_arrives_at_Naval_Air_Station_Pensacola.jpg)
USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) arrives at Naval Air Station Pensacola | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Richard M. McCool Jr.[1] |
| Namesake | Richard Miles McCool |
| Awarded | 23 February 2018[1] |
| Builder | Ingalls Shipbuilding |
| Cost | US$1.4B (FY2017)[2] |
| Laid down | 12 April 2019[3] |
| Launched | 5 January 2022[4] |
| Sponsored by | Shana McCool, Kate Oja |
| Christened | 11 June 2022[5] |
| Acquired | 11 April 2024[6] |
| Commissioned | 7 September 2024[7] |
| Home port | Norfolk |
| Identification | Pennant number: LPD-29 |
| Motto | Certa ut unitas non ut singuli, "Fight as a unit, not as individuals"[8] |
| Status | in active service |
| Badge | _Crest.png) |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock |
| Displacement | 25,000 tons full |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| 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 & processing systems | AN/SPS-73(V)18 - Next Generation Surface Search Radar; AN/SPY-6(V)2 EASR Rotating Radar |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously. |
Design
Like her immediate predecessor, USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), Richard M. McCool Jr. was designed 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).[13][14]: (Summary) Richard M. McCool Jr. incorporates the changes that were 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. uses the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) volume air search radar.[15]
