Navy takes delivery of amphibious ship San Diego

The Navy got an early Christmas present on Monday when it took delivery of the sixth amphibious transport dock, the San Diego.

Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries, the ship was transferred to the Navy in a brief ceremony in Pascagoula, Miss. It can be used for amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare.

According to a news release from the company, the full crew will move aboard the ship in early January. Some crew members were aboard for recently completed sea trials, which tested the ship’s main propulsion, steering, communications and deck missions systems.

"Accepting San Diego today on behalf of the Navy is an honor and a privilege I have been looking forward to for a long time," said Cmdr. Jon Haydel, the commanding officer.

The 684-foot-long warship is scheduled to be commissioned in San Diego in the spring. It will have a crew of about 360 sailors and room to transport up to 800 Marines. Its flight deck will be used by helicopters and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, with landing craft air cushion or conventional landing craft using its well deck.

San Diego is the sixth ship in the San Antonio-class. Four more are under construction.