Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

The Navys FY2011-FY2015 shipbuilding plan calls for procuring an 11th and final San Antonio LPD-17 class amphibious ship in FY2012. The Navy estimates the procurement cost of this ship at 2,040.6 million. The ship received 184.0 million in FY2010 advance procurement funding, and the Navy plans to request the remaining 1,856.6 million of the ships procurement cost in the FY2012 budget. Accordingly, the Navys FY2011 budget does not request any additional advance procurement funding for the ship. Some observers have suggested using the LPD-17 design as the basis for the LSDX, a new class of amphibious ships that the Navy plans to start procuring in FY2017 as replacements for the Navys 12 aging Whidbey IslandHarpers Ferry LSD-4149 class amphibious ships. Procuring a 12th LPD-17 in FY2014 or FY2015 might be consistent with a strategy of using the LPD-17 design as the basis for the LSDX because it would keep the LPD-17 production line open until the start of LSDX procurement. Navy officials have mentioned the option of modifying the LPD-17 design as one possible approach for developing the LSDX design, but the Navy is also studying other possible approaches, including developing an all-new design. Navy plans do not call for procuring any LPD-17s beyond the 11th ship planned for FY2012.