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Amphibious Assault Ships:
LHA / LHD |
The USS Essex arrives in Subic Bay. |
Description
The largest of all amphibious warfare ships;
resembles a small aircraft carrier; capable
of Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL),
Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL),
Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL)
tilt-rotor and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft
operations; contains a well deck to support
use of Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and
other watercraft (with exception of the
first LHA(R), LHA 6, which has no well
deck).
Features
Modern U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault Ships
project power and maintain presence by
serving as the cornerstone of the Amphibious
Readiness Group (ARG) / Expeditionary Strike
Group (ESG). A key element of the Seapower
21 pillars of Sea Strike and Sea Basing,
these ships transport and land elements of
the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) with
a combination of aircraft and landing craft.
The Tarawa-class LHAs and Wasp-class LHDs
provide the Marine Corps with a means of
ship-to-shore movement by helicopter in
addition to movement by landing craft. Three
LHAs - which have extensive storage capacity
and can accommodate Landing Craft Utility (LCU)
and Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) boats
- were active during Operations Desert
Shield / Storm. Since that time, LHAs (and
later LHDs) have been participants in major
humanitarian-assistance, occupation and
combat operations in which the United States
has been involved. Such operations have
included participating as launch platforms
for Marine Corps expeditionary forces into
Afghanistan during Operation Enduring
Freedom in 2001 and 2002, Iraq in Operation
Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and humanitarian
support after the catastrophic Tsunami in
2004. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, two
LHDs served as "Harrier carriers," each
launching an air group of AV-8B attack
aircraft against targets inside Iraq. In
2004, LHAs and LHDs were used to transport
thousands of Marines and their equipment to
Iraq and Afghanistan for combat operations.
Most recently, critical post Hurricane
Katrina support was provided in New Orleans
by LHD 7 (IWO JIMA) where thousands of
police, fire and rescue personnel were
hosted onboard during recovery operations
and IWO JIMA operated as the central command
and control hub. With delivery of IWO JIMA
in 2001, the Navy and Marine Corps reached a
desired force level of amphibious warfare
ships - LHAs/LHDs, LPDs and LSD 41/49s -
that provide fully capable Expeditionary
Strike Groups to fulfill anticipated
forward-presence and expeditionary
requirements. The keel for an eighth LHD,
MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8), was laid in February
2004 at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS)
Ingalls Operations. It is scheduled to be
delivered to the Navy in 2008. LHD 8 will
differ from earlier ships of the class in
that it will be powered by gas turbine
engines rather than steam turbines. LHA 6,
the first ship of the LHA Replacement (LHA(R))
Program, was placed under contract in June
2007 with NGSS. LHA 6 will be an
aviation-centric modified repeat of the LHD
8 and is scheduled for delivery to the Navy
in 2012. Key differences between LHA 6 and
the LHD Class ships include an enlarged
hangar deck, enhanced aviation maintenance
facilities, increased aviation fuel
capacity, additional aviation storerooms,
removal of the well deck, and an
electronically reconfigurable C4ISR suite.
Two of the original five Tarawa-class LHAs
were recently decommissioned: USS BELLEAU
WOOD (LHA 3) in October 2005 and USS SAIPAN
(LHA 2) in April 2006.
Background
Amphibious warships are designed to support
the Marine Corps tenets of Operational
Maneuver From the Sea (OMFTS) and Ship to
Objective Maneuver (STOM). They must be able
to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid
buildup of combat power ashore in the face
of opposition. Because of their inherent
capabilities, these ships have been and will
continue to be called upon to also support
humanitarian and other contingency missions
on short notice. The United States maintains
the largest and most capable amphibious
force in the world. The Wasp-class LHDs are
currently the largest amphibious ships in
the world. The lead ship, USS WASP (LHD 1)
was commissioned in July 1989 in Norfolk,
Va. LHA Replacement or LHA(R) is the next
step in the incremental development of the
"Big Deck Amphib." She is being designed to
accommodate the Marine Corps' future Air
Combat Element (ACE) including F-35B Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) and MV-22 Osprey with
additional aviation maintenance capability
and increased fuel capacities, while also
providing additional cargo stowage
capacities and enabling a broader, more
flexible Command and Control capability.
Program Status
LHAs 1, 4 & 5 and LHDs 1-7 are in-service.
LHD 8 is under construction and is expected
to deliver in November 2008. LHA 6 Detail
Design and Construction (DD&C) contract was
awarded 1 June 2007 and is planned for
delivery to the Fleet in 2013. |
General Characteristics, LHA(R) Class (LHA
(6))
Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship
Systems Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, MS.
Date Deployed: Scheduled for delivery
to the fleet in 2013.
Propulsion: Two marine gas turbines,
two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower,
two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion
motors.
Length: 844 feet (257.3 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (32.3 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 44,971
long tons full load (45,695 metric tons).
Speed: 20+ knots.
Crew: 1,059 (65 officers)
Load: 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge).
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO
Sea Sparrow launchers (with Evolved Sea
Sparrow Missile (ESSM)); two 20mm Phalanx
CIWS mounts; seven twin .50 cal. machine
guns.
Aircraft: A mix of: F-35B Joint
Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL aircraft; MV-22
Osprey VTOL tiltrotors; CH-53E Sea Stallion
helicopters; UH-1Y Huey helicopters; AH-1Z
Super Cobra helicopters; MH-60S Seahawk
helicopters. |
General Characteristics, Wasp Class
Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship
Systems Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, MS.
Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (USS
Wasp)
Propulsion: (LHDs 1-7) two boilers,
two geared steam turbines, two shafts,
70,000 total shaft horsepower; (LHD 8) two
gas turbines, two shafts; 70,000 total shaft
horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary
propulsion motors.
Length: 844 feet (253.2 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters).
Displacement: LHDs 1-4: 40,650 tons
full load (41,302.3 metric tons)
LHDs 5-7: 40,358 tons full load (41,005.6
metric tons)
LHD 8: 41,772 tons full load (42,442.3
metric tons).
Speed: 20+ knots (23.5+ miles per
hour).
Crew: Ships Company: 104 officers,
1,004 enlisted
LHD 8: 65 officers, 994 enlisted
Marine Detachment: 1,687 troops (plus 184
surge).
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO
Sea Sparrow launchers; three 20mm Phalanx
CIWS mounts (two on LHD 5-8); four .50 cal.
machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns
(LHD 5-8 have three 25 mm Mk 38 machine
guns).
Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight
helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion
helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack
aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W
Super Cobra helicopters. (planned capability
to embark MV-22 Osprey VTOL tilt-rotors).
Ships:
 USS
Wasp (LHD 1), Norfolk, VA
USS
Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan
USS
Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, VA
USS
Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, CA
USS
Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, VA
USS
Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San Diego, CA
USS
Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk, VA
USS Makin
Island (LHD 8) - under construction |
General Characteristics, Tarawa Class
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding,
Pascagoula, MS.
Date Deployed: May 29, 1976 (USS
Tarawa)
Propulsion: Two boilers, two geared
steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total
shaft horsepower.
Length: 820 feet (249.9 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters).
Displacement: 39,400 tons (40,032
metric tons) full load.
Speed: 24 knots (27.6 miles per
hour).
Crew: Ships Company: 82 officers, 882
enlisted
Marine Detachment 1,900 plus.
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two
Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount; three .50 cal.
machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns.
Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight
helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion
helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack
aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W
Super Cobra helicopters.
Ships:
USS
Tarawa (LHA 1), San Diego, CA
USS
Nassau (LHA 4), Norfolk, VA
USS
Peleliu (LHA 5), San Diego, CA
(Source: US Navy) |
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