Way to go, shipbuilders! Fallujah (LHA 9) has reached 50% butt weld complete, marking the halfway point in the welding needed to complete the ship’s units and move into the next stage of construction.
Across the ship, pieces of steel are fit together, aligned, welded and inspected. Once that work is complete, the units can continue moving through production and toward erection.
Reaching 50% is one marker of how much of Fallujah has already come together. It also puts the focus on what comes next.
The LHA 9 team is now working toward completing the remaining units and making progress toward stern release. As construction continues, the quality and completeness of each unit will help determine how smoothly the ship moves through the next stages of the build.
ABOUT THE SHIP
Fallujah (LHA 9) is the fourth America-class large-deck amphibious assault ship built at Ingalls and the second ship in the class to include a well deck. Like LHA 8, Fallujah will combine the aviation capabilities of the America class with surface assault capabilities, supporting aircraft including the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey.