The Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII] a $54 million contract to continue life-cycle engineering and support to the San Antonio-class (LPD-17) of amphibious transport dock ships, the company said.

The order for HII’s Ingalls unit in Pascagoula, Miss., is the third of four options exercised since the original contract was issued in 2010.

“Our extensive post-delivery support work is vital to the Navy’s missions involving these complex amphibious ships,” said Doug Lounsberry, the company’s vice president for the LPD-17.

The work covers post-delivery planning and engineering, systems integration and engineering support, research engineering, material support, fleet modernization program planning, supply chain management, maintenance, and training.

The Navy last week took delivery of the eighth LPD-17, the future USS Arlington (LPD-24).