Congratulations, shipbuilders! Harrisburg (LPD 30) reached another major construction milestone this week with the successful completion of its second Main Engine Light-Off (MELO).
This MELO marked the successful light-off of the ship’s aft main machinery room (MMR2), following the completion of the first MELO earlier this year, which brought the forward main machinery room (MMR1) online.
Completing both milestones represents years of planning, construction and testing across the ship and readies LPD 30 for future testing.
“A successful MELO means the engines, the systems supporting it and the teams behind them are ready to move forward in testing,” said Noah Sheffield, test engineer, Test & Trials. “This milestone requires precise coordination across multiple disciplines to verify the ship’s propulsion plant is functioning correctly. It’s really rewarding to see the results of all the planning, troubleshooting and hands-on work that goes into getting to this point.”
WHY IT MATTERS
Achieving MELO validates years of behind-the-scenes work. Before an engine can be started, hundreds of tasks must be completed, including installing and testing systems, flushing piping, establishing electrical power, verifying controls and aligning equipment.
MELO represents the combined effort of shipbuilders across nearly every discipline and demonstrates that LPD 30’s critical systems are coming together as an integrated warship.
“The second MELO is a clear demonstration of LPD 30’s progress as we continue activating and testing the ship’s systems,” said Josh Box, LPD 30 Ship Program Manager. “Harrisburg is setting the standard for the next generation of amphibious ships, and our shipbuilders prove every day that they have the skill and dedication to deliver this critical capability to the fleet.”
ABOUT THE SHIP
As the lead ship of the Flight II San Antonio-class, LPD 30 represents the next generation of amphibious transport docks. Designed to transport Marines, aircraft, landing craft and mission-critical equipment around the world, LPD 30 will provide the Navy and Marine Corps with enhanced amphibious capability for decades to come.