According to Marine Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, this procurement approach allows the Navy to retire older ships on a one-for-one basis while ensuring the fleet remains ready to meet current and future challenges. "The multi-ship procurement enables us to sustain our 31-ship amphibious floor, which includes 10 big-deck amphibious ships and 21 LPDs. This is essential to maintain our operational readiness and capacity for various missions," Austin explained. The economic impact of this deal is also significant. By purchasing multiple ships in a single procurement, the Navy has managed to save approximately $901 million. The cost savings primarily come from bulk purchasing of materials and increased efficiency in the shipbuilding process. HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding, located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has a long history of delivering high-quality amphibious ships to the Navy.