USS New York (LPD-21)
| Company type | Amphibious transport dock |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval shipbuilding |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | New Orleans , United States |
| Parent | Northrop Grumman Ship Systems |
USS New York (LPD-21) represents the fifth vessel in the United States Navy to bear the name of the state of New York.
Naming
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Governor George E. Pataki petitioned the Navy to designate a surface combatant with the name New York as a tribute to the attack victims, despite the tradition of reserving state names primarily for submarines. This proposal received official approval on 28 August 2002.
Announcement of Sister Ship Names
On 9 September 2004, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England revealed that two sister ships would be christened and , honoring the crash sites in Arlington County, Virginia, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania—locations linked to two of the hijacked planes during the attacks.
Construction
A meaningful portion of steel recovered from the World Trade Center debris was integrated into the ship's framework.
New York is notable for being the first vessel completely designed using computer-aided design (CAD) technology to accommodate both key Marine Corps transport assets: LCAC hovercraft and MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
The contract for building the ship was awarded in 2003 to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems located in New Orleans. Remarkably, construction progressed through Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with minimal interruption.
Only about 24 tons of steel derived from World Trade Center remnants were utilized, which accounts for less than one-thousandth of the ship’s overall weight. This material was melted down at Amite Foundry in Louisiana to form the bow section, including a distinctive "stem bar." Workers at the foundry treated this steel with deep respect, acknowledging its profound symbolic importance.
Christening and Delivery
The vessel was christened on 1 March 2008 at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. Dotty England, spouse of Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England, performed the customary champagne bottle-breaking ritual. The ceremony was attended by Louisiana Congressman William J. Jefferson, representatives from New York City's Police and Fire Departments, as well as families affected by September 11. The bottle shattered on its second attempt.
Delivery to the Navy occurred on 21 August 2009 in New Orleans. The ship set sail for Norfolk, Virginia, on 13 October 2009. On 2 November 2009, New York honored the World Trade Center site with a ceremonial 21-gun salute during its first passage nearby.
Commissioning and Trials
The commissioning ceremony was held on 7 November 2009 in New York City. Distinguished speakers included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Governor David Paterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead, and Commandant of the Marine Corps General James T. Conway. Significantly, approximately one out of every seven original crew members originates from New York state—an unusually high percentage that underscores the ship’s strong ties to its namesake region.
Propulsion
Propulsion for New York is provided by four Fairbanks-Morse license-built MAN Colt-Pielstick PC2.5 STC sequentially turbocharged marine diesel engines coupled with inboard rotating Rolls-Royce controllable-pitch propellers. The V16-cylinder Colt-Pielstick PC2.5 STC engines are engineered to deliver high power output while maintaining a lightweight profile suitable for naval vessels. Each V16 PC2.5 STC diesel engine weighs approximately dry without its flywheel.
On 11 January 2010, following sea trials conducted after commissioning in November, the Navy announced plans to repair defective engine components after inspectors identified premature bearing failures within the main propulsion diesel engines.
2012
On 10 June 2012, the vessel embarked on its inaugural deployment to the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf. It was tasked with transporting Marines from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, part of the 2nd Marine Division. The ship returned in December 2012, accompanied by , , and their respective Marine contingents.
2014
In June 2014, New York facilitated the transfer of Ahmed Abu Khattala, alleged to be the principal orchestrator behind the 2012 Benghazi attack, back to the United States.
2017
On 11 September 2017, coinciding with the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, New York arrived off Florida’s coastline to provide assistance for Hurricane Irma recovery efforts.
2018
During September 2018, New York played a role in hosting the reception event for the 23rd International Seapower Symposium held at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Later in November, the ship took part in Exercise Trident Juncture, a significant NATO operation involving more than 50,000 personnel, 65 vessels, and 250 aircraft. This exercise included participation from approximately 14,000 U.S. forces, a Carrier Strike Group (CSG), and an Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG).