OREANDA-NEWS.   Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded an affordability design contract for USD 23.5 million for early industry involvement to reduce the construction and life-cycle cost for the amphibious assault ship LHA 8.

"Ingalls Shipbuilding has been constructing large-deck amphibious ships for nearly 50 years, and this contract will build on our company's knowledge and experience to implement cost-saving measures to help the Navy reach their affordability goals," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "We are committed to building affordable ships, and this contract begins industry involvement in a meaningful way to implement improved cost in amphibious shipbuilding, specifically LHA 8."

The early industry involvement contracts were awarded to U.S. shipyards that have the facilities and resources to build a large-deck amphibious assault ship without major recapitalization. The affordability design phase allows shipbuilders an opportunity to refine contract design requirements for a more affordable ship. The shipbuilders will address the cost-driving requirements within the design trade space that offer the greatest potential for acquisition, production and overall costs.

The contract will employ Ingalls design and production engineers, planners, and a variety of operations experts to participate in the preliminary design of the ship and bring their ideas and knowledge of constructing amphibious warships to the table to help the Navy achieve their affordability goals.

Ingalls is currently the sole builder of amphibious ships for the Navy. The shipyard delivered its first amphibious assault ship, the Iwo Jima-class USS Tripoli (LPH 10), in 1966. Ingalls has since built five Tarawa-class (LHA 1) ships and eight Wasp-class (LHD 1) ships and recently delivered the first in a new class of amphibious assault ships, America (LHA 6).