Procurement contract for LHA 7

The first ship, "America" (LHA 6) is being built in Pascagoula and is currently 33 percent complete. With this award, Northrop Grumman will provide additional engineering, planning and technical support for the current contract. The work will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility.

LHA 7 will be 257 m long and 32 m wide and weigh 44,854 tons. Its hybrid propulsion system will drive it to speeds in excess of 22 knots on its gas turbines, but also will run cost-efficiently on its auxiliary electric propulsion motors. It will accommodate 1,204 crew and can surge to accommodate 1,871 troops. LHA 7 will have an extended hangar deck with two higher hangar bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance. The ship will also provide increased aviation fuel capacity, stowage for aviation parts and support equipment. In addition, LHA 7 will be able to embark and launch the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, cargo and attack helicopters, and the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant F-35B Lightning II Strike Fighter.