The construction of one of the U.S. Navy's newest amphibious war ships, the USS Green Bay — complete with a $617 million price tag — is underway in Louisiana.
The USS Green Bay, also known as the LPD 20, is the fourth of 12 amphibious transport dock ships being built by the Navy to complete its San Antonio class, which will be the second largest class of amphibious transports in the Navy, according to Lt. Katie Licup, deputy director of the Navy Office of Information Midwest.
The USS Green Bay is the second to be named for the city, the first being a patrol gunboat that served in the 1970s.
The ship should be completed and commissioned into active duty for the Navy in 2006. The USS Green Bay, along with the rest of the San Antonio class, will aid the Navy and Marine Corp's landing forces globally, Licup said.
Former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig feels the city of Green Bay and its ideals will also be found in the amphibious ship.
"Green Bay may be modest in size, but it is enormous in spirit," Danzig said in a statement. "The city is well known for its commitment to team efforts and the LPD 20 will be home to another team — the Navy-Marine Corps team — that is no stranger to hard work and sacrifice to be the best in the world."
Green Bay City Council Alderman Chris Wery feels that the ship may make the city better known outside the state.
"Wherever the Green Bay sails, it will raise questions like, 'Where is Green Bay?'" Wery said. "Perhaps the city will become more well-known nationally or internationally."
The USS Green Bay will hold a crew of 361 and up to 800 Marines at capacity, in addition to either four helicopters or two vertical take-off airplanes. It will be approximately 684 feet long and 105 feet wide and displace nearly 25,000 tons in water, Licup said.
The ship is being constructed in Avondale, La., by Litton Industries, the company who is financing the construction of the transport, according to Licup.
The ship also will be equipped with the Ship Wide Area Network, or SWAN, a fiber optic cable system that will allow access to the Internet and e-mail. In addition, SWAN provides the crews with personal and professional training courses, according to a Navy press release.
Licup believes the SWAN system is an important part of the ship because it allows people to stay connected.
"E-mail has been on ships since the late 1990s, but it's been revolutionary as a way for sailors to communicate with friends and family during deployment," Licup said.
The ship also boasts a new bunk design that will allow for the crewmembers to sit up and be able to read or write when not sleeping, according to Licup.
"The bunks are a morale factor because crewmembers will be able to read or write in their bunks, which is important since bunks are the only personal space allowed on board," Licup said.
The USS Green Bay will also be equipped with two surface-to-air Rolling Airframe Missile Launchers and two stabilized 30 mm guns.
