Amphibious assault ship

Six of the seven U.S. Navy Amphibious assault ships in formation

amphibious assault ship, usually called an amphib, is a class of warship employed primarily by the United States Navy. It is used primarily to deliver Marines to combat zones. Seventeen amphibs have been built, twelve of which remain in active service. The older amphibs belong to the Tarawa class, which dates back to the 1970s. The newer Wasp class amphibs debuted in 1989. Additionally, five amphibs of the Iwo Jima-class were built in the 50s and 60s and soldiered on into the late 1990s but have all been retired. The first Amphib was the escort aircraft carrier USS Block Island (CVE-105/LPH-1), which never saw service as an amphib. Because of delays in the construction of the Iwo Jima class, three Essex-class aircraft carriers and one Casablanca-class escort carrier were converted into amphibs, the Boxer and Thetis Bay classes.

Amphibs resemble aircraft carriers, and do in fact carry a small number of Harrier jet attack planes. They are only about 75% the length of carriers of the U.S. Navy, though they are somewhat larger than the carriers of other navies.

Table of contents

1 Description
2 Features
3 Background
4 Wasp Class
5 Rest of World Assault Ships

Description

Primary landing ships, resembling small aircraft carriers, designed to put troops on hostile shores.

Features

Modern U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships are called upon to perform as primary landing ships for assault operations of Marine expeditionary units. These ships use Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC a type of hovercraft), conventional landing craft and helicopters to move Marine assault forces ashore. In a secondary role, using AV-8B Harrier aircraft and anti-submarine warfare helicopters, these ships perform sea control and limited power projection missions.

Background

Amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. They must be able to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid built-up of combat power ashore in the face of opposition. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world. The Wasp-class are the largest amphibious ships in the world. The lead ship, USS Wasp (LHD 1), was commissioned in July 1989 in Norfolk, Virginia.

Wasp Class

Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.

Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 shaft horsepower (52 MW) (Two gas turbines, two geared turbines, two shafts in LHD 8 USS Makin Island)

Length: 844 ft (253.2 m)

Beam: 106 ft (31.8 m)

Displacement: Approx. 40,500 tons (41,150 metric tons) full load

Speed: 20 knots (23.5 mph, 37 km/h)

Aircraft:

Assault: 42 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
Sea Control: 5 AV-8B Harrier attack planes; Six ASW helicopters

Ships:
- USS Wasp (LHD 1), Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan
- USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, California
- USS Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San Diego, California
- USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) - Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Makin Island (LHD 8) - Under construction at Pascagoula, Mississippi
Crew:
- Ships Company: 104 officers, 1,004 enlisted
- Marine Detachment: 1,894
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; three 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts (two on LHD 5-7); four .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns (LHD 5-7 have three 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns).
Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (Wasp)