"With a crew of over 360 Sailors, Fort Lauderdale is the first ship for over 240 of them and for many, this will be their first time at sea,” Quaresimo said. “It is exciting to watch the team come together and operate our ship at sea for the very first time.”

After years of hard work and dedication by both Huntington Ingalls Industries and the crew of the ship, the Mighty Fort Lauderdale is ready to become a part of the Fleet and the greatest ship on the waterfront.

“Our team is fully ready for anything,” said Quaresimo. “In 10 short weeks we have certified in multiple warfare areas and have met all Sail Away requirements. We have brought online each and every system from scratch. From stem to stern each department has demonstrated their preparedness for getting underway by exceeding the standards required of them. The crew is simply amazing.”

During her transit to Norfolk and prior to her commissioning, Fort Lauderdale will conduct hull, mechanical, and electrical system shakedown events as well as navigation checks, flight deck and well deck operations and combat systems test events. Additionally, the crew will participate in training events to continue honing their familiarity with the ship and how to combat any casualty that may arise.

“Everyone onboard is extremely excited to sail to our namesake city for commissioning,” mentioned Quaresimo. “The tremendous support we have received from the City of Fort Lauderdale and our Commissioning Committee is really remarkable. Simply put, commissioning is going to be an amazing, once in a life time, event.”

Amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions. LPDs are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies by embarked Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22). These ships support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions and serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious operations.

Fort Lauderdale is the twelfth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship of the United States Navy and is the first ship to be named for Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Fort Lauderdale will commission at Port Everglades in the City of Fort Lauderdale July 30.

For more news on PCU Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) visit
https://www.facebook.com/FORTLAUDERDALELPD28.