The US Navy has awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) to provide life-cycle engineering and support services for USS San Antonio (LPD 17) amphibious transport dock ships.

The modification contract is the second option of the original $249.4m contract secured by the company last year.

Under the new $51.3m contract, HII will provide post-delivery planning and engineering, systems integration and engineering support, and research engineering for certain shipboard systems.

The company will also provide shipboard systems material support, fleet modernisation programme planning, supply chain management, maintenance and training.

The 684ft-long LPD 17-class ships have a displacement capacity of 25,000t, can accommodate 800 troops and are designed to provide combat support for the navy and marine corps.