The USS Portland is making her way to San Diego — the ship’s homeport — before a scheduled April arrival in her namesake city.
The amphibious transport dock made a brief fuel stop in Guantanamo Bay Jan. 2 and will stop in San Diego before journeying to Portland, Oregon for commissioning.
The future #USSPortland transits Guantanamo Bay during a brief fuel stop, Jan. 2, 2018. Portland is making its way to home port in #SanDiego and is scheduled to be commissioned in its namesake city of #Portland, Oregon in April. #AroundTheFleet pic.twitter.com/lH3lQ5usBD
— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) January 4, 2018
The U.S. Navy accepted the ship’s delivery from the builder — Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi — in September. The Portland (LPD 27) is the 11th San Antonio class ship to be delivered to the Navy.
Sailors have been training aboard the Portland, readying for the San Diego move.
“The ship will carry 699 troops, with a surge capacity to 800, and will have the capability to transport and debark air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. These ships will support amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century,” according to Naval Sea Systems Command.
USS Portland missions could also include humanitarian relief efforts, with its ability to provide medical, logistics, and air support, as well as coordinating and assessing damage with local government and relief crews.
–Staff