Navy's newest amphibious transport dock ship
named for U.S. national park
Washington, D.C., Oct. 6, 2000 — Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig has announced the decision to name the third amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio-class, Mesa Verde (LPD 19).
The ship is named in recognition of the Mesa Verde
National Park in southwestern Colorado. Congress established
Mesa Verde, meaning "green table" in Spanish, as the first
cultural park in the National Park System in 1906 to preserve
the notable cliff dwellings of the Anasazi (Pueblo) culture.
The park received greater recognition in 1978 when it was
designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by the United Nations.
Occupying part of a large sandstone plateau rising above the
Montezuma and Mancos valleys, Mesa Verde National Park is 81
square miles, consisting of 52,122 acres and rising more than
8,500 feet above sea level. Mesa Verde National Park serves as
a spectacular reminder of the 13 centuries-old Anasazi (Pueblo)
culture by preserving hundreds of dwellings and artifacts.
"Mesa Verde is a jewel of our National Park system that
celebrates the extraordinary beauty and diversity of that region
and our nation," said Mr. Danzig. "The real richness of Mesa Verde
and that of our country's naval service, however, lies in the
people — the remarkable legacy of their past and a future with
great promise. The naming of Mesa Verde establishes a
strong and fundamental link between this nation and those who
serve and truly value that bond."
Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt expressed his support.
"Congratulations to Secretary Danzig and the Department of the
Navy. The Department of Interior is especially appreciative
that the Navy named the third amphibious transport dock ship
after Mesa Verde," said Babbitt. "Naturally, we find the name
choice excellent because it honors early American culture as
well as the first national park created to preserve cultural
history. It seems somehow fitting to name a state-of-the-art
ship with a name connoting timeless cultural values in
Colorado."
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships are
used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies
by embarked landing craft or amphibious vehicles augmented by
helicopters in amphibious assault.
These versatile ships perform the mission of amphibious
transports, amphibious cargo ships and the older dock landing
ships (LSD) by incorporating both a flight deck and a well deck
that can be ballasted and deballasted to support landing craft.
The 12 ships of this newest class are scheduled to replace
the older LPD 4 class, and its increased vehicle and substantial
cargo carrying capacity will make it a key element of 21st
century amphibious ready groups. These ships integrate the
latest in shipbuilding and warfighting technologies to support
current and future Marine Corps aircraft, the Advanced
Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAAVs) and Landing Craft Air
Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft.
This highly reliable, warfare-capable ship class will be
the most survivable amphibious vessel ever put to sea. The
design incorporates state-of-the-art self-defense capabilities;
Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence
(C4I); and reduced radar cross section signature technologies.
Reduced operational costs and an improved capability to
incorporate technological advances over its 40-year service life
are also essential design objectives.
The Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensors, which enclose the
ship's radars and communications antennas, characterize the
ship's distinctive profile. The ship's ability to carry LCACs
and AAAVs, the shipboard wide area network with approximately
400 local area network (LAN) drops, Total Ship's Training
System, integrated bridge system, engineering control system,
and damage control system, all serve to ensure that Sailors and
Marines are able to fully perform their expeditionary warfare
missions.
The ship also incorporates the latest quality of life
standards for the embarked sailors and Marines, including the
sit-up berth, ship services mall, a fitness center and learning
resource center/electronic classroom with the flexibility to
accommodate mixed gender sailors and Marines as part of the crew
and embarked troops. The design team also incorporated hundreds
of suggestions and recommendations from more than 1,000 sailors
and Marines in the Design for Ownership process to ensure that
these ships will meet their needs throughout the first half of
the 21st century.
-USN-
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