Wasp class LHD (1987)

We continue our exploration of US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD for Landing, Helicopter, Dock) with the last class of the cold war (Only one was operational before the fall of USSR) and essentially a follow-up of the 1970s Tarawa class, but with many modifications to operate more advanced aircraft and landing craft. They were optimized to carry a full strength United States Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and make it faster thanks to hovercrafts alternated to landing craft, with full air support by a larger complement of AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft, planned from the start of their conception and now, of F-35B Lightning II. In the 1970s “winner takes all” followup shipbuilding policy all came from Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, starting with the lead ship, USS Wasp.

The latter is commemorating two WW2 aircraft carriers, the first (1936) sunk at Guadalcanal, the second, a 1943 Essex class decommissioned in 1972. HMS Wasp (11th of the name), was commissioned on 29 July 1989 as LHD-1. Eight in this class were built, the last commissioned in 2009, seven remains in active service as of May 2026 since USS Bonhomme Richard was damaged by fire on 12 July 2020 and never repaired, decommissioned. As of 2026, USS Wasp would approach 37 years of service, so she is expected to be decommissioned when replaced by one Flight III America class LHD in 2027 or 2031, also depending on what’s happening in the China Sea.

Development

USS Tarawa, stern view, LCU manoeuvering.

The Wasp class was developed as the first US Navy LHD, for Landing, Helicopter, Dock, instead of LHA, for the Tarawa class. To put things into perspective, the USN was no sranger to amphibious operations, perfecting its skills in the 1942-45 Island-hopping campaign. There were three components, the main striking arm, called TF 38 or 58 (3/5th fleet) depending on the commander, also called the fast carrier force, to strike enemy assets on land and sea and protect the second component, the Assault Force. The second was composed of assault ships, basically adapted cargo ships acting as motherships for landing crafts, and LSTs. However dock landing ships were already developed as a way to put to sea a whole family of LVTs. This force was escorted by destroyer and destroyer escort, carrier escorts, and soon, the Marine Corps was reinforced by army troops as no longer sufficient for the scale of operations. The third component was the logistic train, to have the fist two supported from the US across the vast expanses of the Pacific.

This background led to two family of ships for the US Navy, one of proper landing and assault vessels, and one of support vessels. The first were the Iwo Jima class, pure helicopter carriers (1961), which also pioneered heliborne assaults, based on the Korean war experience, proving instrumental in Vietnam. However there was the feeling that platform could do more and many expressed the need of an “all in one” ships capable of landing a full MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) with one ship, in one go. This proved especially valuable as the cold war ended and the future seems to favor smaller scale operations to maintain peace and restore order in the late 1970s and ealry 1980s.

The first LHA (Landing, Helicopter, Assault)

For this, the Tarawa class was designed. Unlike the Iwo Jima, they integrated a dock to accomidate landing crafts and make a two-prone attack, heliborne assault to take the beach, followed by a naval landing to take and hold the beach with support vehicles. The Tarawa class were indeed the world’s first modern Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) class. Succeeding to the 1960s Iwo Jima class helicopter only assault ships, they added a well deck to the hull, which was far larger, giving the United States Navy a brand new amphibious assault capability. Five were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in 1971-1980, with the last four planned, canceled, and redesigned as the next the Wasp-class LHA. At 44,000 tonnes fully loaded they were already much larger than the WW2 Essex class fleet carriers. They saw a lot of service on the Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean, and were modernized at least twice each. By March 2015, they had been all decommissioned after 30+ year careers. The Tarawa class were replaced by the Wasp from 1989 and America-class from 2014, succeededing themselves to the Wasp class, keeping the same basic formula. Unlike the Iwo Jima, the Tarawa class could operate Harrier jump-jets, making them even more versatile.

Towards the first LHDs (Landing, Helicopter, Dock)

The Tarawas started operating the Sea Harrier, with USS Tarawa testing the AV-8A for a short qualification run, and LHA-4 USS Nassau also in 1981, operating a full complement of twenty AV8As for a common air support test with USS Saratoga. This proved definitely this new generation of ships could be able to protect the heliborne assault against enemy air assets. As long as they don’t encountered air domination heavy fighters, but a more average air force, they were OK for the task, ans could complete the assault by deep strikes in enemy territory, understanding their fundamental limitations: VTOL aircraft could only carry a minimal payload as they were forced in that case to operate from landing spot, burning a lot of avgas in the take-off, unlike if taking off from a ski jump, like shown by the British on Hermes in the Falklands and the Invincible class.

This gave the idea post cold-war to some navies integrating ski-jump on LHDs, but at the time a replacement for the Tarawas was worked on, from 1980 onwards, the Falklands war did not happened and VTOL operations still in its infancy. So the concept of a ship optimized VTOL and helicopter carrier, also improving on the dock capacity for extra capacity was a clear path of improvement for the US naval staff. The Wasp class was designed to replace the aging Tarawa class and was designed to transport and deploy troops, equipment, and helicopters to support amphibious landings and other operations. They are also capable of providing medical support and operating as a mobile command center. Their displacement was to be ported from approximately 41,000 to 45,000 tons and they were envisioned to be powered by gas turbines, although the first were completed with steam turbines as a proven technology in the meantime.

The design was finalized both in the idea of having a hangar and deck better optimize to operate the AV8B Harrier from the start, but also in the well deck, to be able to handle the new air-cushion landing crafts (LCACs) then in development. The process went on from 1981 to 1986, with construction originally planned for the FY87 programme, but was moved up to FY84 in order to fill a perceived gap in Marine assault shipping. LHDs were also intended to replace the lwo Jimas in the 1990s (main justification towards the congress), so that by 1983 a total of about twelve was envisaged. However with new developments, the serie was stopped at the 8th ship and a new derivative design was planned instead (see below).

Key New Features

Accelerate the Men and Material Flow

To carry out her primary mission, she has to have a full assault support system, synchronizing simultaneous horizontal and vertical troop and cargo or vehicle flow throughout the ship. The flight deck was served by two aircraft elevators from the hangar bay plus six cargo elevators (4 x 8 m or 13 by 26 ft) were also planned to transport material and supplies from a generous 3,000-cubic-meter (110,000 ft3) cargo hold space ventilated throughout the ship onto staging areas on the flight deck to accelerate loading of helicopter as well as in the hangar bay or the vehicle storage area. Below this all was a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2), 81-meter-long (266 ft) well deck, larger than on the Tarawa clasd, but yet not still 50% of her lenght. Also forklifts were to be used to be cargo-loaded also for the first time, either in the hangar bay or flight deck, inspired by civilian intermodal logistic hubs and platforms. All this was supposed to greatly accelerate that multi-asset flow, to be ready for launch.

VTOL included

These ships incorporated maintenance facilities for at least twenty Harriers and for four to six ASW helicopters. The flight deck is so long that no ski-jump is required (were one provided, it would interfere with rolling helicopter take-offs). Quite aside from sea control, Marine Harriers might provide very useful support in an amphibious operation.

Medical facilities

This feature already existed on the Tarawa class, but in the early 1970s when this was first in development, one could not anticipate the role would take military assets in civilian relief efforts, as a way to train, outside purely a military context, and as a way to provide a positive PR for the country involve, complementary to classic good will missions. So the new LHD class was design with much larger, some would say “oversized” medical facilities, no longer just sufficient enough to take charge of wounded Marines of her own MEU only. Wasp has indeed the largest medical and dental facilities ever fitted on an assault ship.

The new class was to be capable of providing intensive medical assistance to 600 casualties, including humanitarian missions. The corpsmen could, in the same context provide routine medical/dental care, also dismounted via helicopters abnd vehicles in sinister areas. Major medical facilities in the end would include four main and two emergency operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, x-ray rooms, a blood bank, laboratories, and patient wards. There were also three battle dressing stations throughout the ship, and this was completed by b a casualty collecting area at flight deck level with dedicated medical elevators to transfer casualties from deck to medical facilities in quick time, the “golden hour”.

Better Accomodations

Living conditions were also improved based on crew’s reports in service on USS Tarawa. For the 1,075 crewmembers and 2,200 embarked troops on board, crewed spaces and berthing areas were made smaller, and individually heated and air conditioned. Berthing areas were more subdivided for extra privacy, better sound insulation, better R&R areas, without impacting efficiency. Onboard recreational facilities were the more generous installed so far, with a library also later acting as multi-media resource center with Internet access, weight room, satellite television, plus the usual small navy shop and sport area, mostly located on the balconies around the 2-stage hangar.

Better C3R-C4R

Command facilities were also improved, with and extra dedicated space for C3R in the main combat center buried in the ship, no longer present in the bridge. This made up for a larger and better integrated space overall, but with a part dedicated to ship operations, and another to task force operations. The computing power and associated generator power wa stwice as much as for a Tarawa class. Unlike the original LHA indeed, the LHD was conceived from the start with a secondary sea-control role.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

The new ships were substantally larger than the Tarawa class, they had a displacement standard from 27,565 to 28,295 light and a 40,329 to 41,133 tonnes fully loaded, or 40,500 long tons (41,150 t) full load for USS Wasp herself. This showed the radical increase in capacity, of 11,000 tonnes (see below), so about 1/4 of the useful load, beyonf fuel oil, avgas or ship’s ammunition.
In lenght, they reached 237.1 meters at the waterline and 257.3 metes overall or 843 ft for a breadth, for 32.3 meters (104 ft) at the waterline and 42.7 meters overall (140 ft). In draught, she reached 8.53 meters max unballasted, or 27 ft (8.1 m) in other sources and about 9.5 meters when the dock was submerged.

The overall design was about the same, still, with a blocky main hull, parallelepipedic from stem to ster, especially seen from the deck, but with at the waterline, fine entry lines going up to meet the blocky deck edge, but constant beam up tp the stern and its well deck door. The island was still very large, even larger on this case, and occupying a significant real estate on the left deck area (port side) and unlike the Tarawa class, it was even closer to the centerline, leaving port deck space for extra parking, mainly vehicle, or payloads, protected by the island from air operations, rotor blades and jet exhausts.

22nd MEU sabre drill in the hangar.
The island was also characterized by its lower size, lacking a full deck, whereas the command and control facilities were relocated inside the hull like modern warships. Another decision was to remove the 5-inch (127 mm) Mk 45 naval guns to make extra room, with the sponsons on the forward edge of the flight deck being lengthened by 24 feet (7.3 m) to proved extra space for LCACs. The bridge was composed of a two-storey bridge forward, the lower one for navigation, the upper one for air operations, also acting as admiralty and command bridge. There was an extra air operation bridge aft. Like the Nimitz class carriers, air operations were planned by a small team on a model of the deck, just moving around asset chips, that could include vehicles. They were connected at all times to deck crews.

In terms of vehicles, these ships, like the Tarawa class, had the entire forward section of the island, supporting weaponry, also used as servicing hangar for deck vehicles. The fleet was comparable to the one used on the Nimitz class carrier, with the same standard towing/starter tractors such as the A/S32A-32A Hangar Deck Tractor. Data on this is hard to find.

Powerplant

Albeit gas turbines were already discussed in 1980, their implementation was complicated, and the ships had been fitted instead with an old and trusted system, with two Combustion Engineering steam boilers connected to Westinghouse geared turbines, delivering 70,000 shaft horsepower (52,000 kW) total to two 5-bladed bronze, variable pitch propeller on strutted shafts. Top speed speed is 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph), and range 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). The Wasp class LHDs carries 6,200 tonnes of fuel oil for 9,500 nm at 20 kts, plus 1,866 tonnes of aircraft fuel, more than the Tarawa class, since they were design for jets, from the start.

USS Makin Island, was fitted experimentally with two General Electric LM2500 geared gas turbines. It was decided to port this system on the next America class. The difference is notable, as the steam ships are rated for 77,000 hp and the gas turbine ship at 72,000 shp, but is capable of a sustained 24 knots and of course, much greater accelerations. Range is lower however. The same LHD-8 also carries a diesel-electric auxiliary propulsion system (APS), developed and delivered by General Electric. This system is usable both for axuliary power and for maneuvering, with the propeller shafts being powered indirectly by six diesel generators, feeding two auxiliary electric propulsion motors. This electric propulsion uses SeaPulse MV3000 variable speed drives and high-performance electric induction propulsion motors. GE claims this new hybrid propulsion saved more than 4 million gallons of fuel in her first 7 month deployment (est. $15 million cost saving).

Protection

Passive

The deck used HY100 steel, and better ballistic protection was provided overall. The command center, relocated from the bridge to the lower hull, was now fully protected like on modern supercarriers and destroyers, with kevlar panelling all around. All ammunition magazines also have box protection, also in kevlar. Above the double bottom hull, but forward of the well deck, are a number of under waterline subdivided compartment for utilities, and the machinery spaces are well separated. There are auxillary generators to power pumps in case the main machinery would be out of order.

The same fire-protection measures already in place for the Tarawa class were repeated, so sprinklers in nearly all compartments, fire curtains and posts with hoses along the hangar, in the vehicle’s parking bay and machinery spaces, ammunitions rooms (plus rapid-flooding cocks, automatic fire detection and action systems), plus manual hand-held halon fire extinguishers at all levels. The ships are also protected NBC with the outer sprinkler system for the radioactive washout system and full sealing for all doors and hatches, plus overpressure if needed from the air conditioning system.

Active

SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite:

This trusted system was built by Raytheon, Goleta (CA) and Hughes Aircraft Company, now the primary electronic warfare (EW) system in the USN. Colloqualy called the “Slick-32”. It appeared in the 1970s to replace the 1960s AN/WLR-1. It was declined since in many variants. Cuttently replaced by the Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System (AIEWS). Installed at first was the SLQ-32(V)3 later replaced dyring modernizations by the SLQ-32(V)6 and SLQ-32(V)7. The v(3) added antennas with electronic attack capability, to actively jam targeting radars and anti-ship missile terminal guidance radars.

Six Mk 36 SRBOC decoy Rocket Launchers:

IR/chaff decoy launchers. BAE Systems Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures Chaff and Decoy Launching System (SRBOC or “Super-arboc”), short-range decoy launching system for radar or infrared decoys. Two sets of six tubes either beam on upper decks, with reload canisters, manually loaded, launched through the local FCS.

SLQ-25A Nixie:

Torpedo decoy to defeat torpedoes. These “classic” towed countermeasures were developed for earlier ships and aimed at luring out incoming homing torpedoes. Introduced in 1987, the towed torpedo decoy system comprises the towed decoy device (TB-14A) and shipboard signal generator to defeat wake-homing, acousting-homing, and wire-guided torpedoes. Operated from the poop deck.

Armament

The baseline was a pair of RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile launchers, onre on the centraline aft, below the landing deck lip, the other on the roof of the vehicles’s hangar. They remained a constant sight ubntil LHD-8. Also present from the start were three 20 mm Phalanx CIWS systems on the first ships, but from LHD 5 it was reduced to just two. Next was the adoption of the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher, with two systems, one forward of the bridge, another aft. The novelty was the installation of three to four 25 mm Mk 38 Machine Gun Systems.

LHD1-4:

As a baseline, two octuple Sea Sparrow SAM, three 20mm/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, four 0.5-in/90 M2HB and up to 46 aircraft (20 CH-46E, 10 CH-53E, 6 AH-1W, 3 UH-1N helicopters or 6 AV-8B VSTOL attackers, 14 CH-46E, 6 CH-53E, 6 AH-1W, 4 UH-1N helicopters or 28 AV-8B VSTOL attackers).

LHD5-7:

One CIWS Phalanx removed, instead, two 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116), and two 25mm/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster installed, two 20mm/76 Mk 15 Phalanx kept.

LHD8:

Same but three 25mm/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster instead of two. For aircraft 10 MV-22 Osprey (max cap.) are the biggest change as well as UH-1N/Y and MH-60R helicopters.

RIM-116 RAM

The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile complement to the traditional gun-based CIWS with a longer reach, covering an intermediate bubble between the Sea Sparrow and 30mm CIWS/25mm RWS is the RIM-116. The Rolling Airframe Missiles are carried in a 21-strong configuration in the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS). The Mk-144 Guided Missile Launcher weighs 5,7 tons (12,736 lb) but cannot employ its own sensors prior to firing and thus is fully integrated with the ship own combat system for direction.

It is in service from 1992. Unit cost was on average 900.000 million back in 2021. Each missile is 2.79 m (9 ft 2 in) long for 159 mm (6.25 in) diameter (Block 2) and a wingspan of 434 mm (17.1 in). It carries a 11.3 kg (24 lb 15 oz) Blast fragmentation warhead and is powered by a Hercules/Bermite Mk. 36 solid-fuel rocket for a 9 km (5.6 mi) range at speeds in excess of Mach 2 (1,500 mph; 2,500 km/h) guided by optional passive radio frequency/infrared homing and infrared dual mode for an accuracy claimed over 95%.

RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

One octuple mount located on the forward bridge step (A position) and another on the port rear sponson, opposite the 5-in/54. The Mk 29 launcher enabledg an aircraft/missile capability. The RIM-162 ESSM was retofitted from the 2000s (introduced 2004). This is a Mach 4 missile using mid-course update datalink and terminal semi-active radar homing (Block 1) or dual semi-active/active radar homing (Block 2) with a far greater range of 27 nmi+ (50 km+) and carrying a 86 lb (39 kg) blast-fragmentation using a Proximity fuze.

⚙ specifications RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

Weight 510 lb (230 kg) Dimensions 12 ft x 8 in (3.7 m x 20 cm) wp 3 ft 4 in (1.02 m) Propulsion Hercules MK-58 solid-propellant rocket motor Speed 4,256 km/h (2,645 mph) Range/Ceiling 10 nmi (19 km) Payload Annular blast fragmentation warhead, 90 lb (41 kg)* *Proximity fuzed, expanding rod, with a 27 ft (8.2 m) kill radius.

20 mm Phalanx CIWS

The venerable Vulcan-Phalanx close-in weapon system, widespread in the USN at the time. More.

Mk 38 Bushmaster Machine Gun Systems

The Mk 38 Bushmaster Machine Gun System is a naval weapon system used primarily by the United States Navy and allied forces for close-range defense against small surface threats. It’s a stabilized, remotely operated naval gun system mounted on ships. Instead of a sailor manually aiming, it’s controlled from inside the vessel using cameras and targeting systems—safer and more precise, especially in rough seas.
Primary weapon: M242 Bushmaster chain gun (25mm automatic cannon)
Rate of fire: ~200 rounds per minute
Range: Effective up to about 2–3 km against small targets
Operation: Remote control with electro-optical sights (day/night cameras, laser rangefinder)
Stabilization: Keeps aim steady even when the ship is moving
Mod 0 / Mod 1: Earlier versions with increasing automation
Mod 2 / Mod 3: Modern variants with improved sensors, stabilization, and remote operation
The Mk 38 is designed to counter Small boats (e.g., fast attack craft), Asymmetric threats (like piracy or swarm attacks) and Low-flying aerial threats (limited capability). It was developed
after incidents like the USS Cole bombing, navies prioritized better close-in defense systems. The Mk 38 provides a fast-response, accurate, and crew-protected solution for threats that are too small or too close for larger weapons.

Browning 0.5 cal. M2HB HMG

In complement, the ships had several (four to six) good old “Ma Deuce” generally installed on bridge and hull side’s posts to deal with incoming fast boats. The crew is regularly trained to use it, as well as small arms like the M16s, those reserved to the crew in addition to the ammunition and arms rooms for the Marines on board. These made these ships “armed to the teeth” and capable of taking a country by themselves.

Sensors (inc. EW)

LHD1, 2-4, 5-7:

SPS-67(v)3, SPS-49(v)5, SPS-52B, Mk 23 Mod. 3 TAS, 4x Mk 95, 3x Mk 90, SPS-64(v)9, SPN-35A, SPN-43B, SPN-47 radars, WSC-1 Channel Finder sonar, SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite, 6x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo decoy, SYS-2(v)3, USQ-119(v)11, ACDS CCS.

LHD8:

SPQ-9B, 4x Mk 95, 2x Mk 90 as main differences.

AN/SPS-49 2-D Air Search Radar (1975)

Initial two-dimensional, long range air search radar built by Raytheon, providing contact bearing and range. Working as primary source for the Sea Sparrow.

Specs

Frequency L band 851–942 MHz
Range 3 nmi (5.6 km) to 256 nmi (474 km) (AN/SPS-49A(V)1)
Altitude up to 150,000 ft (45,720 m)
Diameter 24 ft (7.3 m) × 14 ft 3 in (7.3 m × 4.3 m)
Azimuth 0 to 360°, precision 1/16 nmi range
0.5 deg azimuth (SPS-49A(V)1).
Power 360 kW peak, 13 kW average (AN/SPS-49A(V)1)

AN/SPS-48 3-D Air Search Radar (1966)

US naval electronically scanned array air search 3D radar system from L3Harris, primary air search sensor.

Specs

Frequency 2–4 GHz (15.0–7.5 cm), S-band at 7.5 or 15 rpm
Range: 250 nautical miles (290 mi; 460 km), altitude 100,000 feet (30,000 m)
Diameter: 17 feet (5.2 m) by 17 feet 6 inches (5.33 m)
Azimuth 0-360°, elevation 0-65°, precision 690 feet (210 m) elevation 1/6° azimuth
Power: 35 kW average

AN/SPS-67 Surface/Nav. Search Radar

Short-range, two-dimensional, surface-search/navigation radar providing highly accurate surface and limited low-flyer detection and tracking capabilities.

Specs

Frequency 5.45–5.825 GHz (5.501–5.147 cm) C-band, 15/30 rpm
Range: 56.2 nmi (64.7 mi; 104.1 km)
Azimuth 1.5°, elevation 12° AN/SPS-67(V)1, 31° AN/SPS-67(V)2 & (V)3.
Power 280 kW.

Mk23 Target Acquisition System (TAS)

The Target Acquisition System (TAS) Mk 23 is a detection, tracking, identification, threat evaluation, and weapon assignment system designed especially for use against high-speed, small cross-section targets which approach the ship either from over-the-horizon at very low altitudes or from very high altitudes at near vertical angles. Used for the sea sparrow system, and Mk 91 Missile Fire Control system (MFCS). More

Specs

Work on the 1215-1385 MHz frequency range (L band).
Instrumented range: 110 NM (200 km)

AN/SPN-43 Marshalling Air Traffic Control Radar

S band 2D ATC-radar used on amphibious-type ships as well as carrier to provide air navigational data, azimuth and range for control and identification up to 50 miles (93 km) and 30,000 feet (9,144 m). It uses a 120″×80″ reflector antenna with squared pattern, fed by a horn antenna. Switchable polarisation and pulsed magnetron transmitter. Bandwidth 1.6 MHz. Replaced later by the SAABs AN/SPN-50(V)1 Shipboard Air Traffic Radar.

Specs

Frequency: 3500 to 3700 MHz (S band)
pulse repetition time (PRT) 1000 µs
pulsewidth (τ): 0.95 (±0.05) µs
peak/average power: 1 MW, beamwidth 1.5°, rotation 15 rpm

AN/SPN-35 Air Traffic Control Radar

Precision Approach Radar (PAR) landing system installed on the Tarawa, Wasp and America-class amphibious assault ships for on board Air Traffic Controllers, providing guidance and glide slope corrections to aircraft during the final approach and landing. Under a radome, off-set from the bridge, above deck.

Specs

Frequency 9.0 to 9.2 GHz band, PRF 1200 pps.
Pulsewidth 0.2 microseconds, Power 200 kW.

AN/URN-25 TACAN system

The Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) System is a line-of-sight, beacon-type, air navigation aid providing slant range, bearing, identification to TACAN-equipped aircraft to determinate their own position relative to the mothership. The Transponder Group AN/URN-25 operates with a solid-state, electronically-scanned Antenna Group OE-273A(V)/URN, including two transponders for back-up.

AN/UPX-24 Identification Friend Foe

Shipboard identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) processor system that is used to identify aircraft or ships equipped with an IFF transponder. The system provides target data to the ship’s command, control, communications, computer and intelligence (C4I) system and generates interrogation commands in response to requests for priority target identification. The AN/UPX-24(V) accepts interrogation and control commands and provides target reports to a shipboard weapon system, such as Aegis or the Naval Tactical Data System.

Fusion/Command Systems

SYS-2(v)3

Utilizes the UYK-44 computer, integrated with radar systems to provide an IADT capability. The Integrated Automated Detection and Tracking (IADT) System AN/SYS-2 is a computer-based radar data processor, with automated radar target detection, tracking, and correlation capabilities, correlating contact data from the 2-D and 3-D air-search radars to provide a single surveillance picture through any clutter and ranging electronic countermeasures. More

USQ-119(v)

This system is part of the Global Command and Control System – Maritime (GCCS-M), as the primary fielded Command and Control System. It replaces the Navy Tactical Command System Afloat (NTCS-A) and JMCIS and tasked of Fleet C4I requirements. More

Modernizations

In the early 1990s, USS Wasp had its SPS-52B replaced by the SPS-48E radar. In 1997 she also lost on CIWS and her associated Mk 90 radar for two 21 RAM SAM and two 25mm/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster guns.
By late 2000s all ships saw the installation of at least a single 25mm/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster as well as the JSIPS-N, ITAWDS, MTACCS, TMS CCS. By the mid-2010s, SPS-49(v)5, SPN-35A, SPN-43B radars were replaced respectively by SPS-49A(v)1, SPN-35B, SPN-43C radars with the addition of the SRS-1 ECM suite. Also USS Wasp, Essex, Kearsarge, Boxer, Bataan, Bonhomme Richard and Iwo Jima had their SPN-47 replaced by the SPN-46 radar wheras USS Makin Island alone gained a SPN-46 radar. Later some had their SPS-64(v)9 replaced by an SPS-73 radar. In 2014, USS Essex was the prototype for another modifications, seeing the removal of the two Sea Sparrow SAM, and the ACDS CCS in exchange of two triple ESSM SAM (VLS, 24 RIM-162). Electronics comprised the CEC USG-2, ICDS CCS and the ability to carry the F-35B Lightning II and MV-22B Osprey.

Amphibious Group

22nd MEU Stryker exiting an LCAC in USS Bataan’s well deck, joining the parking.

Differences from the LHA include use of an LSD/LPD-type lowering stern gate, via the stern door, provision for three LCAC, one after the other in a single-bay, longer and narrower at 98.1 meters () long for 15.2m (49 ft) wide, 8.5m high (28 ft) for the entire docking well, from bottom to roof, leaving about 1.5 meter (5 ft) deep water when fully filled with rapid flow pumps. There was even an extra internal stowage for boats. They have 2,127m² (22,900 ft.sq.) of vehicle parking space, 3,087 m³ (10,902 cu. ft) of dry cargo space. Hospital facilities as said above has in addition 6 operating rooms, intensive care units and 47-bed ward expendable up to 578 beds.
The capacity is as follows:

• 4 LCU-1610/ 3 LCAC/ 6 LCM(8) plus 4 LCPs and 1,893 troops and vehicles
• 3 Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC)
• 2 Landing Craft Utility (LCU)
• 12 Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM)
• 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge) Marine Detachment

LCU 1610

Specs

172 long tons (175 t), 353 long tons (359 t) FL
134 ft 9 in (41.07 m) x 29 ft 10 in (9.09 m) x 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) – 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) fwd.
2 shafts Detroit 12V-71 Diesel: 1,000 hp (746 kW), 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph), RA 1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h)
Crew: 14, capacity 400 troops and 180 long tons material and vehicles.

Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC)

Three could be carried in the well deck, one after the other, pre-loaded. In theory they could be loaded from the aft parking ramp, but for this, they needs to be rotated.
The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a high-speed, amphibious hovercraft used primarily by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps to transport troops, vehicles, and cargo from ship to shore. Since its rides on a cushion of air, it could hover just above the surface, including minefields, but also mud, sand, and even land obstacles. It made about 70% of the world’s coastlines accessible, and is less exposed to enemy fire, moving much faster than conventional landing craft, over 40 knots or 75 km/h. It uses large fans to force air beneath creating lift and propel it forward with rear-facing propellers, have flexible skirts around the base trap the air, letting it glide smoothly over different surfaces. It was first deployed from the Wasp-class (and is compatible of course with the America-class amphibious assault ship), dramatically improving amphibious operations by combining speed, flexibility, and access.

Specs

182 long tons (185 t) full load, 87 feet 11 inches (26.80 meters) x 47 feet (14 meters).
4 Avco Lycoming TF40B, 4,390 shp (3,270 kW) each. Later Vericor Power Systems ETF40B, 4,700 shp (3,500 kW) each after SLEP.
Speed 40+ knots (tested at 70 kts FL), Range About 200-300 nautical miles (350 – 550 km).
Armament: Two M240B machine guns. Gun mounts supports Mk 19 Mod 3 40 mm grenade launchers
Payload: Around 60–75 tons (e.g., a main battle tank like an M1 Abrams)
Crew: Typically 5 (pilot, co-pilot, engineer, and deck crew)

LCM(8)

The Landing Craft Mechanized, often called LCM-8 or “Mike Boat,” is a traditional amphibious landing craft used to transport troops, vehicles, and cargo from ship to shore. Typical of the long line of LCM started in WW2, it has a very well sloped bow ramp for speed, also dropping down quick for direct unloading, is built from a steel hull with hardened flat bottom for repeated beach landings and tunneled propellers to reverse, plus powerful diesel engines.

Specs

Length: 22.3 m (73 ft).
Speed 9–12 knots, range 190 nautical miles. Crew 4, light MGs.
Payload: 50–60 tons, 200 troops, 2 trucks or armored vehicles.

Air Facilities

The class had revised and strengthened aircraft elevators, a squared-off flight deck forward, making the entire deck capable of spotting nine CH-53E helicopters at once, more than on the Tarawa class, also helped by her extra lenght. The 6.4 m high (21 ft) and 25.9 m wide (85 ft) hangar proved also able to house the tall V-22 Osprey, in development by the 1980s. The Hangar bay area represented a surface of 1,923 m² (20,700 ft sq), and it proved able can accommodate 28 CH-46 equivalents as well for helicopters. There are two 34t capacity, 15.2 x 13.7m () main elevators, one at port side as on Tarawas and one at starboard side aft from the superstructure. 28 Harriers can be carried if helicopters are gone, which is substantial. In a mine-countermeasures role they could deploy twenty CH-46E, six MH-53E helicopters and six Mk 105 countermeasures sleds.

Air Group

A Marine Corps F-35B, the vertical-landing version of the F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter landing aboard USS Wasp

Actual mix depends on the mission, with an early standard of six AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft for fast air support (later F-35B Lightning II stealth strike-fighters). For helicopters, the baseline was also four AH-1W/Z Super Cobra/Viper attack helicopter and twelve MV-22B Osprey assault support tiltrotor, four CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters and three 4 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters.

In Assault configuration this is twenty-two MV-22B Osprey assault support tiltrotor.
In Sea Control configuration: 20 AV-8B Harrier II (or F35B) attack aircraft and six SH-60F/HH-60H ASW helicopters.
The latter is another asset for the US Navy in case of war. There can be so much supercarriers available at all time on all oceans. This ability to mobilize a dozen LHA-LHDs for fleet work is a crucial capability.

AV-8B Harrier II

USMC AV-8B’s takeoff roll. The Wasp’s longer deck was an advantage.

The AV-8B Harrier II is a vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) attack jet used by the USMC from the 1980s on the previous Tarawa class, after modifications, and the Wasp class afterwards. It’s famous for its ability to operate from short, flat runways on amphibious ships, with a short rolling start ideally to carry a superior payload. In USMC dooctring it is used for Ground attack and close air support. Like the AV8A derived from the BAE Harrier of the 1970s, it has rotating nozzles directing thrust downward for vertical lift or backward for forward flight. Top speed is about 1,065 km/h (Mach 0.9) and range 2,200 km with external fuel, plus a limited payload of Bombs, rockets, missiles, but it retained is fuselage-mounted 25mm cannon.
Unlike the F35B that follows, the AV8B has been proven in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq War. It had been upgraded for night attack and saw radar-equipped versions for improved targeting, able to carry precision-guided munitions capability. In its current state, it has more capabilities than the F35B.

F-35B (2010 onwards)

The Harrier II is being replaced by the F-35B Lightning II, which offers stealth, advanced sensors, and greater overall capability. The F35B was already planned when the last ship in class, USS Makin Island was in construction from 2004. So it was, unlike the others, modified to take in account the new jet, albeit it’s arrival was quite late.

The F35B was a tailored version for the USMC, alongside the A and C versions for the Air Force and Navy respectively. The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) dedicated USMC variant, same size as A variant, but sacrificing fuel volume for a more powerful shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF), and limited to 7 g, no landing hook. The “STOVL/HOOK” control instead engages conversion between normal and vertical flight. Still capable of Mach 1.6 (1,960 km/h; 1,220 mph) it has a range of 900 nmi (1,700 km) with fuel tanks and 505 nmi (935 km) without, making it the “short legged” version of the whole program. Payload is only 15,000 lb (6,800 kg), and max TO weight the smallest at 60,000 lb (27,200 kg).

It’s only on 16 November 2012 that the USMC received its first F-35B, tested at VMFA-121, MCAS Yuma. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in Block 2B was on 31 July 2015. First Red Flag exercise was in July 2016 (67 sorties), first deployment in 2017 at MCAS Iwakuni in Japan. First ship using it, from July 2018 USS Essex, first combat strike on 27 September 2018 against a Taliban target, Afghanistan. It tested a doctrine of distributed STOVL operations (DSO) with mobile forward arming and refueling points (M-FARPs) as part of the reformed USMC Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept.

AH-1Z Viper

In alternative, the AH-1W Super Cobra could be used, albeit it is older, with less advanced capabilities. The AH-1Z Viper is the US Marine Corps’ primary attack helicopter, most advanced variant of the legendary Cobra going back to Vietnam. Specs: Crew: 2 (pilot + weapons systems officer), two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshafts 1,800 shp each, top speed 255 km/h (138 knots), range 685 km, Four-blade, bearingless composite main rotor (shared with UH-1Y Venom — 84% parts commonality).

It is armed with the baseline 20mm M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon under the nose, activated by the weapons systems officer by just looking at the target, and its stub wings can carry Hellfire missiles, Sidewinder AIM-9, Hydra 70 rockets, TOW missiles, with up to 6 hardpoints for close support any any enemy asset, included main battle tanks. Its four-blade rotor (upgraded from the original two-blade Cobra) dramatically reduced vibration and increased lift and agility. Its The Target Sight System (TSS) gives it a powerful day/night/all-weather targeting capability
Designed to operate from amphibious assault ships alongside the UH-1Y — a unique naval/expeditionary role no other attack helicopter fills. It first flew in 2000, entered USMC service in 2010.

UH-1Y Venom

The UH-1Y Venom is the utility/transport partner to the AH-1Z Viper, and together they form the US Marine Corps’ H-1 upgrade program — a modernised, highly integrated duo designed for expeditionary warfare. It has 84% parts commonality with the AH-1Z — this is the core of the H-1 program’s logic. Shared engines, rotors, transmissions, and avionics dramatically simplify logistics and maintenance aboard amphibious ships where space and spare parts are at a premium. It’s a complete redesign of the UH-1N Twin Huey, not just an upgrade — new airframe, four-blade rotor replacing the old two-blade, and fully digital glass cockpit. Optimised for ship-based operations — folding rotor blades for compact storage aboard amphibious assault ships like the Wasp and America classes.
Roles include: troop insertion, CASEVAC, fire support, command and control, and search & rescue. The H-1 pairing in practice: The AH-1Z and UH-1Y typically deploy together, with the Viper providing armed escort and fire support while the Venom carries troops or casualties. Maintainers trained on one can work on both — a significant operational advantage.

Specs:

Crew: 2 pilots + up to 2 crew chiefs, Capacity: 6 troops or 2 litters (medevac).
Engine: 2× General Electric T700-GE-401C (same as the AH-1Z).
Rotor: Four-blade, bearingless composite — identical to the AH-1Z
Max speed: 296 km/h (160 knots), Range: 520 km
Armament: 2× M240 or M134 Minigun door guns, 2.75-inch Hydra 70 rockets Hellfire on stub wings.

MV-22B Osprey

The MV-22B Osprey is one of the most revolutionary — and controversial — military aircraft ever built. A tiltrotor, it takes off and lands like a helicopter but cruises like a turboprop aircraft, filling a unique operational space between the two. What makes it exceptional: The tiltrotor concept gives it helicopter VTOL capability with fixed-wing cruise speed and altitude — it operates at 25,000 ft, far above most helicopters. Self-deployable globally without refuelling stops, unlike any helicopter. Folding rotors and wings for shipboard storage — fits on amphibious assault ships
Replaced the CH-46 Sea Knight in USMC service, tripling the speed and doubling the range. Operators: USMC (MV-22B).

The Osprey has had a troubled safety record, with several fatal crashes during development and in service — some linked to a phenomenon called vortex ring state (a dangerous aerodynamic condition during descent) and others to mechanical failures. In the USMC amphibious assault context, the Osprey, AH-1Z, and UH-1Y form a tightly integrated air assault package — the Osprey inserts troops rapidly and deep, while the Vipers provide escort and fire support, and the Venoms handle medevac and follow-on logistics.

Specs:

Crew: 2 pilots + 1–2 crew chiefs
Capacity: 24 troops, or 9,070 kg internal/6,800 kg external sling load
Engines: 2× Rolls-Royce AE 1107C Liberty turboshafts (6,150 shp each)
Max speed: 509 km/h (275 knots) roughly twice a conventional helicopter
Range: 722 km (combat), self-deployable across oceans
Rotor/prop: 11.6m diameter proprotors, one on each wingtip.

CH-53E Super Stallion

The CH-53E Super Stallion is the US military’s largest and most powerful helicopter — a true heavy-lift workhorse that has been the backbone of USMC heavy logistics for decades. What makes it exceptional is its third engine is the key distinction from its predecessor the CH-53D — it adds roughly 50% more power and transforms its heavy-lift capability. It can recover downed aircraft — including other helicopters and even some fixed-wing aircraft — a critical battlefield role. Aerial refuelling capable, extending range dramatically for long-range operations. It has folding rotor blades and tail for shipboard stowage aboard amphibious assault ships and an in-flight refuelling probe allows it to self-deploy across oceans, including buddy-buddy type air refuellings.

It’s intrumental for the USMC’s heavy external lift (artillery, vehicles, equipment), assault support (troops and cargo into contested areas), capability of downed aircraft recovery (DASR), but it was also been used for humanitarian disaster relief as one of the most capable platforms for moving bulk supplies quickly. Within the amphibious package, the Super Stallion fills the role nothing else can — raw heavy lift. Where the MV-22B is fast and long-ranged for troops, the CH-53E moves the heavy stuff. The two are complementary rather than overlapping.
Its Successor is the current CH-53K King Stallion which uses three new GE T408 engines producing 7,500 shp each and can lift three times the external payload of the E model (~27,000 kg). The K model entered initial operational capability with the USMC in 2023 and will gradually replace the aging E fleet through the late 2020s.

Specs:

Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, crew chief)
Capacity: 55 troops, or 37 combat-equipped Marines, or 24 litters
Engines: 3× General Electric T64-GE-416 turboshafts (4,380 shp each)
Max speed: 315 km/h (170 knots), Range: 1000 km (with external tanks)
External sling load: up to 16,330 kg
Rotor: 7-blade main rotor, 4-blade tail rotor.

SH-60F/HH-60H SeaHawk

The SH-60F Oceanhawk and HH-60H Rescue Hawk are a closely related pair of carrier-based US Navy Seahawk variants, designed to work together as complementary assets operating from aircraft carrier battle groups and in the case of Amphibious ships, provided only for in fleet air group support role, four or either or more generally a pair of each.

SH-60F Oceanhawk

Role: Inner-zone ASW (anti-submarine warfare) — protecting the carrier itself
Crew: 4 (2 pilots, 1 sensor operator, 1 sonobuoy operator)
Engines: 2× GE T700-GE-401C
Sensors: AQS-13F dipping sonar for close defensive perimeter
Weapons: Mk 46 / Mk 50 torpedoes, depth charges
Unlike the SH-60B: No MAD boom, no external fuel sponsons and dipping sonar rather than sonobuoys

HH-60H Rescue Hawk

Role: Combat search and rescue (CSAR) + Naval Special Warfare support
Crew: 4 (2 pilots, 2 rescue swimmers/crew chiefs)
Engines: 2× GE T700-GE-401C
Equipment: FLIR, radar warning receivers, missile approach warning, chaff/flare dispensers, auxiliary fuel tanks
Weapons: 2× M60 or M240 door guns, optional rocket pods
Built to fly into hostile environments with more defensive systems than the SH-60F. Used also by the SEALs for spec-ops missions.

How they worked together:

The two variants were typically paired within a carrier air wing’s Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS). The SH-60F handled the ASW screen around the carrier, while the HH-60H provided the CSAR and special operations capability. A standard HS squadron in the 1990s–2000s operated a mix of both — usually around 8 SH-60Fs and 4 HH-60Hs. Both variants now have been retired from US Navy service, replaced by the MH-60S Knighthawk (for logistics/CSAR) and MH-60R Strikehawk (for ASW/surface warfare). To be covered on the next America class.

Appearance

Author’s profile of USS Wasp as completed

⚙ LHD specifications
Displacement	40,500 long tons (41,150 t) full load
Dimensions	843 x 104 x 27ft (257 x 31.8 x 8.1 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts Two geared steam* turbines, 2 boilers 70,000 shp (52,000 kW).
Speed	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Range	9,500 nm (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 18 knots
Armament	2× RIM-116 RAM, 2× RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, 3× 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, 4× 25 mm Mk 38 & .50 BMG
Protection	See notes: Active and Passive
Sensors	SPS-49 2-D ASR, SPS-48 3-D ASR, SPS-67 SSR, Mk23 TAS, SPN-43, SPN-35, TACAN, IFF
Air Group	Mission-based, 46 aircraft
Crew	66 officers, 1004 personal

*General Electric LM2500 geared gas turbines for USS Makin Island.

The lead ship USS Wasp w&s laid down on 30 May 1985, launched on 4 August 1987 and completed on 29 July 1989.
On 20 June 1991, she departed her homeport of Norfolk for her maiden 6-month Mediterranean deployment. In February 1993, she made an emergency deployment to Somalia for UN Operation Restore Hope. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell boarded her in April for a discussion of tactics in and around Mogadishu. He then flew off for another operation off the coast of Kuwait. The ship stopped in Toulon and Rota underway back to Norfolk. In 1998, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, Atlantic Fleet for the highest score for readiness and fitness in the fleet’s annual competitions by the CNO. No more logs for 1990-2004. from 2004 to 2012, she was deployed less often in her class as she took part in the Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Lightning II in home waters early on, and testings took a while.

In February 2004, she sailed to take on the Marines of 1/6 Marine Regiment and HMM-266 Rein to Afghanistan, arriving by late March to offload and returned home to pick HMH-461 and landing them this time to Djibouti. After this in August, USS Wasp picked up Marines of HMM-266 Rein from Kuwait, carried to Norfolk. By Mid-September 2004 and on 7 July 2006, Vice President Dick Cheney visited her and gave a speech aboout USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

USS Wasp was the first to deploy the V-22 Osprey from October 2007, and they were from VMM-263. The ten MV-22B Ospreys were later deployed to Iraq, for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wasp had been by 1990, December, already, the test platform for the Osprey’s first Sea Trials, at the time the 3rd and 4th prototypes. USS Wasp also took part in Fleet Week 2007 in New York City, attracting the most visitors.

On 4 October 2009, she left Norfolk NS for a three-month deployment along the Atlantic coast and to the Caribbean with DesRon 40 with Marine Air-Ground Task Force on board for operations and exercises in the 4th Fleet area. This was operaton “Southern Partnership Station”, a large maritime strategy drill focusing on building interoperability and cooperation. By mid-October 2009, Wasp dropped anchor at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, disembarking Marines sent for training over three months, after which Wasp departed.

By September 2007, Wasp was sent to Nicaragua, to offer assistance after Hurricane Felix. On 29 June 2010, she was part of a fleet of 18 international ships present for the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Canadian Navy, setup in Halifax in Nova Scotia. The ships present were all were reviewed by Queen Elizabeth II and well as the Duke of Edinburgh, plus Canadian PM Stephen Harper.

MH-47 Chinook from the 160th Spec Ops Rgt. takes off
In 2011, USS Wasp resumed tests and trials with the F-35B. For this, she had a Sea Sparrow launcher removed and monitoring equipment installed insteadn a modification completed on 7 July 2011, after which she was at sea again. On 3 October she saw the first F-35B landings at sea and and on 5 October 2011, she launched her first F-35B. She inaugurated all procedures and “wrote the book” for her class about operating the F35B for the USMC as well.

On 30 January 2012, USS Wasp was deployed on Operation Bold Alligator, the largest amphibious exercise for a decade, from 30 January to 12 February, afloat and ashore and stretching between Virginian and North Carolinan shores. In May 2012, she took part again in New York’s Fleet Week, docked at Pier 92, Hudson River. Like the last time, she offered tours to the general public, round the clock. More visitors went aboard. In July 2012, she sailed to Boston and took part in Fleet Week 2012 there was well as the 4th of July festivities. On 30 October 2012 she was sent to assist the consequences of Hurricane Sandy and was part of of the USN ready pool was to be deployed in support for disaster relief operations.

By June 2016, USS Wasp started a six-month tour in the Middle East with the 6th fleet. By October 2016, the US Navy announced her redeployment to the Pacifc Fleet. Her new homeport was to be Sasebo, in Japan from late 2017. She was to relieved USS Bonhomme Richard, reassigned to San Diego. Underway, she was deployed over Libya for strikes against ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) on 1 August 2016, with her Marine AV-8B Harriers, notably near Sirte. She launched 5 strikes in two days. She went back home for her planed redeployment to Japan in 2017 with a squadron of sixteen F-35Bs. In September 2017, she was the first to arrive on site, after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. She brough well awaited supplies, her tems were deployed for damage assessment, and with her helicopter group she started evacuation assistance and used her medical facilities when not deploying mobile medical teams on the most ravaged sites.

On 3 March 2018, Wasp departed her new HP since two years, Sasebo, for a routine Indo-Pacific deployment, with a detachment of six F-35Bs from VMFA-121: This was the very first operational shipboard deployment for that jet. On 27 May 2019, President Donald Trump heli-landed aboard near Yokosuka to deliver a Memorial Day speech to the troops as part of his visit to Japan and for a state dinner with the Emperor of Japan, Emperor Naruhito as well as PM hinzo Abe. From early 2021 through July 2022 she was back home for a first major overhaul and refurbishment at BAE Systems. In September 2024, she had service members victims of an assault in İzmir, Turkey in a R&R leave. More to come.

About the Name

In naming LHD-1 “Wasp”, the Navy honors nine previous ships, dating to the American Revolution, which have borne this illustrious name. Previous U.S. Navy ships named Wasp include:
a schooner (1775-1777),
a sloop of war (1806-1813),
another schooner (1810-1814),
a tender sloop (1813-1814),
a ship-rigged sloop of war (1814),
an iron-hulled side wheel steamer (1865-1876),
a steam yacht (1898-1921),
and the most famous of the nine, two aircraft carriers, CV-7 (1940-1942) and CV-18 (1943-1972).

The eighth Wasp was a 14,700 ton, 741-foot aircraft carrier that earned two battle stars during World War II. Wasp’s sterling performance evoked British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s famous quote, “Who said a Wasp couldn’t sting twice?”

After shifting to the Pacific theater of operations, CV-7 participated in a number of major engagements before being sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal on September 15, 1942. Following the loss of CV-7, CV-18, already under construction at the time, became the ninth Wasp. The ship earned eight battle stars for it’s World War II service in the Pacific. After 29 years of gallant naval service, CV-18 was decommissioned in 1972.

Gallery

Essex, another famous name, resurrecting the lead vessel of the war-winning carrier class of 1943. The new one was laid down on 20 March 1989, launched on 23 February 1991, commissioned on 17 October 1992. She was homeported to San Diego. Her training program went on in the spring of 1993. Drom 18 August to 23 November she had her upgrades in Post Shakedown Availability at Long Beach. Her maiden deployment was in October 1994, carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) SOC. She went to the middle east. By January 1995 she left Persian Gulf for the withdrawal of UN forces from Somalia, Operation United Shield. Her SOC teams covered them against advancing Somalis, all successfully extracted. Essex was back home on 25 April 1995. After maintenance and workup she took part in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).

On 10 October 1996, she had a second Western Pacific deployment with the 11th MEU (SOC) and Amphibious Squadron 5 (AS5), having back in the middle east a multinational exercises with Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, plus Exercise Tandem Thrust 1997, part of a 28,000 troops, 250 aircraft, 40 ships giant manoeuver. Back in April 1997 and maintenance, workup she started her 3rd WestPac on 21 June 1998 with the 15th MEU SOC and same AS5, reached the Indian Ocean transited to the Persian Gulf for Exercises “Sea Soldier” and “Red Reef” and “Military SALT” and non-combatant evacuation operations with the U.S. Embassy of Kuwait, as well as Operation Southern Watch.

On 26 July 2000, she performed the largest crew swap in US Navy history and relieved USS Belleau Wood as permanently forward-deployed amphibious assault ship at Sasebo. She took part in various humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, notably in East Timor (October/November 2003) and Foal Eagle, Korea. In 2004 she departed with the 31st MEU to Kuwait with USS Harpers Ferry and USS Juneau. She supported the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines in the Battle of Fallujah. She took part in Operation Unified Assistance in Banda Aceh after the December tsunami and back to the Persian Gulf to embark the 31st MEU SOC and return to Okinawa, after a deployment of 8 months.

After the attack on USS Cole in 2000, heightened vigilance about incoming small craft was ramlped up and by November 2004, the Essex had to fire warning shots at an unidentified small boat that came took close and manoeuvered suspiciously. She deployed a force-protection response deterring the boat and this led to write standard documentation procedures. In the 2008 Myanmar Cyclone Nargis crisis she was involved in Operation Caring Response in an aid mission as part of her AG5 (Juneau, Harpers Ferry, Mustin) off Burma. She stayed from 13 May to 5 June, until the Myanmar junta government allowed her aid. By early June permission was rescinded and she had to move away. In 2009 she completed exercise Cobra Gold, followed by exercise Balikatan with the Philippines. Next was Talisman Saber 2009 in a joint bilateral exercise with the RAN.

In February 2010 after Cobra Gold 2010, she visited Laem Chabang in Thailand and by 21–23 October, she deployed the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after the Typhoon Juan (Megi) on the eastern coast of Isabela, and for this was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal. Next she did the same after a request by the Japanese government on the northeastern coast of Honshu after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (which also caused Fukushima). She remained off Akita Prefecture for a constant roration of Helicopters delivering relief supplies to survivors on the northeast coast of Tohoku. Afterwards she had R&R and supply at Sasebo by September 2011. She was deployed for another WestPac with the landing ships USS Germantown and USS Denver.

In November 2012, a Petty Officer 1st Class was fatally injured in a weapons systems test while off Bali reported as a “breakdown of safety procedures, protocol violations and gross negligence”. Maintenance issues cancelled her departure for Cobra Gold 2012 with Thailand. By January 2012 she was announced to depart back to San Diego, after a hull swap with the crew of USS Bonhomme Richard, a practice to avoid breaking family ties to Japan, in Sasebo. On 16 May 2012 while underway she suffered a steering failure and collided with USNS Yukon during an underway replenishment (RAS). Both scraped their hull side without much more damage and no injuries or loss of fuel, both being able to sail to San Diego. On 19 June however Captain Chuck Litchfield was relieved of command. Indeed the investigation pointed out this collision was avoidable and was due to improper supervision over the junior bridge crew. The XO, Officer Of the Deck (OOD), conning officer, and helm safety officer were also blamed.

Essex entered San Diego for a 18-month maintenance/upgrade on 18 September and had two years of dry-docking plus pier side maintenance, followed by sea trials in April 2014, aviation certification in May notably with MV-22 Ospreys, the only one after Harry S. Truman and Kearsarge also having metal 3D printers on board. On 30 November 2015 with her Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 15th MEU she was assigned to the 3rd Fleet Area of Operations (AO) but also went on a long deployment through the 5th, 6th and 7th fleets AOs. By 7–9 October she in San Francisco with USS Champion for the Fleet Week. By September 2018 she had F-35B from VMFA-211 aboard as well as 13th MEU embarked. On 27 September she reported the first-ever F-35B airstrike on a Taliban target. In 2020 she was hopwever hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, reported to have spread in Essex, first case reported on 17 March, coming from a course at Naval Base San Diego from 6 February, tested positive on 14 March and sent self-isolated at home.

27-30 May 2022 saw USS Essex and Portland (LPD-27) open to the public at Los Angeles Fleet Week, San Pedro. In June one sailor received the Navy League of the United States 2022 Honorable J. William Middendorf II award for engineering excellence. She also took part in RIMPAC 2022. On 2 August, Wei Jinchao (machinist’s mate) was arrested for espionage, passing data to a Chinese intelligence officer. USS Essex was also the first Ship to Participate in Naval Postgraduate School 3D Printer Research as part of RIMPAC. She had a change of command in August. She had availability period at Dry Dock at BAE Systems in San Diego, concluded on Sept. 8 2023.

In March 2024 she received her Amphib Quarterly Self-Sufficiency Award, recognizing the Engineering Department and calibration laboratory in docking selected restricted availability (DSRA). She ranked number one for volunteer hours among all ashore and afloat commands. Her chief cook also took part in the world’s culinary Olympics at Stuttgart. In April, she took part in testing of Mariner Skills Training Center, Pacific’s (MSTCPAC). In July 2025 she had a change of command at San Diego. More

USS Kearsarge LHD-3 was laid down on 6 February 1990, launched on 26 March 1992 and commissioned on 16 October 1993, and homeported at Norfolk. Her first notable mission was in the Balkans, she rescued Air Force F-16 Captain Scott O’Grady shot down over Serb-controlled territory in Bosnia, 8 June 1995 as part of Operation Deny Fly. Next she took part in Operation Noble Obelisk, the evacuation of civilians from Sierra Leone in 1997, 400 Americans, more than 3,000 3rd-country nationals over 4 days. He C&C facilities were helpful also in the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, helping coordinating NATO in Operation Allied Force, and evacuating Kosovar refugees in Operation Shining Hope. In August 1999, she took part in relief efforts at Operation Avid Response. On 19 August 2005, with USS Ashland she wa starget by rockets in Jordan. In 1994, 2006, 2008, and 2017, USS Kearsarge took part in New York’s “Fleet Week” as main attraction. In August 2007, she visited Valletta, Malta underway for a 6-month deployment to Iraq, for the 5th Fleet. She also took part in a relief effort in Bangladesh after the Cyclone Sidr. She later hosted President George W. Bush’s for his January 2008 official visit to Israel.

On 6 August 2008, she was at Operation Continuing Promise, providing humanitarian services to Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Trinidad as well as assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) operations in Haiti after a series of four Atlantic hurricanes. On 2 March 2011, with USS Ponce, she went through the Suez Canal after the 2011 Libyan civil war. Robert Gates ordered the two warships into the Mediterranean with 400 Marines to potentially evacuate civilians or for humanitarian relief. On 20 March, her AV-8B Harrier II stroke Libyan targets in Operation Odyssey Dawn. Two days later, her V-22 Ospreys launched a TRAP operation to recover a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle crew after a mechanical failure. Two Harriers dropped two 500 lb bombs on a Libyan convoy. She was back at HP Norfolk on 16 May. On 11 March 2013 she was deployed for a eight-month mission, starting with Cyprus and Eilat on 14 May. In exercises, one of her MV-22s landed on HMS Illustrious.

In September 2017, Kearsarge had a SAR mission during and after Hurricane Maria, since contact was lost with a ship which issued a distress signal off Vieques, Puerto Rico. The US Coast Guard, as well as the RN joined in this effort and they rescued a woman and two children. On 13 May 2022, Kearsarge was taking part in the PASSEX training exercise, with the Finnish and Swedish navies, northern Baltic. On 17-23 May, she deployed her amphibious readiness group for NATO’s Neptune Shield 2022. On the 27th she docked at Tallinn, Estonia for Exercise BALTOPS 22 in which she trained with UUVs and UAVs. On 2 June, she stopped in Stockholm. On 20 August, she stopped in Klaipėda, Lithuania. On February 10 2026, One F-35B Lightning II from VMFA-542 landed on her deck for the first time ahead of a planned squadron swap. More

USS Boxer (LHD-4) was laid down on 18 April 1991, launched on 13 August 1993 and commissioned on 11 February 1995, homeported to San Diego, California. After leaving Pascagoula, she transited via Panama for for San Diego, however after ill-manoeuvering, her bridge wing and other some outer elements were sheared off in transit.
After fixes she was deployed for her first Western Pacific (WestPack) mission from 24 March to 24 September 1997 with USS Ogden and Fort Fisher, having many ports of call and taking par tin her first RIMPAC in 1998, after being deployed from 5 December. Skipping two years, she was deployed again in the Persian Gulf/Red Sea from 14 March 2001 for Operation Southern Watch. She also stopped at Singapore, Thailand, Guam, as well as Jebel Ali in Bahrain, and Jordan, back on on 14 September, days after the attacks on the workd trade center.

On 17 January 2003, she was redeployed to Iraq, six months ahead of schedule, and also for six months, with six ships (USS Bonhomme Richard, USS Anchorage, USS Cleveland, USS Comstock, USS Dubuque, and USS Pearl Harbor.) and in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 2003. Back on 26 July 2003 she was awarded the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award. She was away again from 14 January 2004 for the rebuilding efforts in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom II), delivering equipment and supplies to the Kuwaiti Naval Base, northern Persian Gulf and bacl home on 29 April 2004. Next she was deployed with the 15th MEU on 13 September 2006, arrived Iraq in November and back in San Diego on 31 May 2007. From 20 April to 26 June 2008 she took part in an humanitarian mission in Central and South America as well as Anti-Piracy Task Force 151 flagship (international) off the coast of Somalia.

On 10 April 2009, Boxer assisted USS Bainbridge and USS Halyburton to negotiate the release of Richard Phillips, MV Maersk Alabama captain (which inspired a movie with Tom Hanks, “captain Philips”), holding hostage by Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa. On 12 April 2009 her was freed after a spec ops assault. From 1 May 2009, USS Boxer assisted German special operations unit GSG-9 to free the hijacked German container ship MV Hansa Stavanger. However the mission was abordted on advice from James L. Jones, the U.S. National Security Advisor. She was back at San Diego on 1 August 2009, but while underway, some 69 sailors and marines contracted swine flu, so the “Tiger Cruise” with family and friends at Hawaii was cancelled. Next, she departed with the 13th MEU on 22 February 2011 for a 7-month WestPac including the Indian Ocean, with USS Green Bay and USS Comstock. On 6 May 2016, with USS Gravely and Gonzalez she was deployed off Yemen with Marines of the 13th MEU in support of coalition forces fighting AQAP militants. On 16 June 2016, she supported USS New Orleans and Harpers Ferry for Operation Inherent Resolve, with her AV-8BII Harriers providing airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq and Syria and later with USS Harry S. Truman CBG on 3 June, but from the Med.

On 18 July 2019, President Donald Trump stated that she shot down an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz after “ignoring multiple stand down calls.” Iranian officials rejected the statementn, claiming it was merely monitoring the ship. On 15 March 2020, the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was detected on board, also the first in an American warship. He was quarantined at home. A second was tested positive on 17 March 2020, same. Her crew was spared the epidemic. On 7 April 2020 BAE systems was awarded her major overhaul and modernization contract, schedule for June 2020 for 18 months until December 2021. She was to be able to properly operate the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. However maintenance was delayed until 21 July 2023. She was back to operations by 25 March 2024, leaving San Diego but returning days later due to mechanical problems. On 19 March 2026, the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group was sent for Operation Epic Fury, leaving San Diego escorted by USS Portland and USS Comstock. She joined the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group underway with the 11th MEU on board from 19 March (2,500 Marine Corps personnel), which earned underway their certification and training to accelerate the deployment. More

USS Bataan, the 5th in class, was laid down on 22 June 1994, launched on 15 March 1996 and christened on 18 May 1996, commissioned on 20 September 1997 in a ceremony where she was sponsored by Linda Sloan Mundy, wife of former Marine Corps Commandant Gen Carl E. Mundy, Jr., christened the new ship “in the name of the United States and in honor of the heroic defenders of Bataan”. She was already underway after the 11 September 2001 attacks, on R&R and scheduled to be deployed on 19 September when crew was recalled back early. She sailed for New York Harbor, putting her 600-bed hospital and surgical suites on diposal. She then proceeded to Norfolk, prepared and onloading the 26th MEU pierside and then proceeded to USMC Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune, to sail to Pakistan, delivering 2,500 Marines and equipment, before the main assault on Afghanistan, quickstarting Operation Enduring Freedom. Her ARG stayed on station for the longest sustained amphibious assault in U.S. history, four months and a deep advanced into the country. At the start of the Iraq War on 20 March 2003 she became a “Harrier Carrier” with two Marine AV-8B Harrier II squadrons (full fleet config) with USS Bonhomme Richard, launching scores of air strikes in close air support in two deployments. In her third she joined the 5th Fleet, in the Gulf, Suez Canal and Red Sea by 30 January 2007.

USS Bataan also provided relief after Hurricane Katrina. She was already off New Orleans before iy stroke on 29 August 2005, and started the following day with her helicopters among the first. They evacuated over 1,600 people to safety, delivered more than 100,000 pounds of cargo, 8,000 U.S. gallons of fresh water and was a base for two fly-away medical teams (84 medical professionals) for New Orleans. She became later a testbed for the V-22 Osprey from September 2005, with a successful OPEVAL II, live fire tests with eight Ospreys. In 2009 she was the first with a full operational squadron of V-22s, VMM-263. By September 2008, she took part in the HURREX exercise of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for the upcoming hurricane season. In June 2008 it was reported in UK she was used to imprison terrorism suspects by the Guardian, between December 2001 and January 2002. On 13 January 2010 after the 7 magnitude 2010 Haiti earthquake she dropped anchor to Grand-Goâve, for assistance and was back home in April 2010. On 23 March 2011 she was sent off Italy to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya.

The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ships included are USS Carter Hall, USS Arleigh Burke, and USS Mesa Verde) conducts a PASSEX with RFA Argus, 25 February 2024.

She took part in the 2014 air campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria with her AV-8B Harriers in reconnaissance missions and one air strike. In 2016 she qualified for the new Mark VI patrol boat operations from her well deck, launching and docking this new 85 ft patrol boat, a first from an LHD. She remained in the Persian Gulf after Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani was killed in case of Iranian reprisal, on standby to face Hezbollah or Houthis striked in the region. No records for 2017-2019. From 2020 and until 19 January 2022, she had a 16-month maintenance overhaul at Norfolk. In November 2022, she tested a new hybrid manufacturing technology using a Meltio’s wire-laser directed energy deposition on a Phillips CNC milling machine, the first ever such metal additive manufacturing was installed on a US Navy ship.

On 10 July 2023, Bataan ARG (USS Carter Hall (LSD-50), USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19), 26th MEU and escort) departed Norfolk for a deployment in the Middle East, and on 11 October while in the Persian Gulf she was ordered to leave exercises off Kuwait and depart to take positions off Gaza due to the start of that war. With USS Carter Hall she remained however in the Red Sea until December 2023 before transiting to join Gaza. By January 2024 as the Red Sea crisis flare out, she had one Harrier shooting down 7 Houthi suicide attack drones under Captain Ehrhart. By May 2024 she was back home, taking part of Fleet Week in Port Miami, Florida and at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, New York. By March 2026 she is reported in heavy maintenance. A fire broke out on December 2025, quickly extinguished with 2 reported injuries. She should be back in operations by July or August 2026 as this is written. More.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was laid down on 18 April 1995, launched on 14 March 1997 and completed on 15 August 1998. She left Ingalls Shipbuilding division on 8 August 1998 for Pensacola Harbor and NAS (Naval Air Station) Pensacola to be ready for the main ceremony held on 15 August 1998. From 24 January to 24 July 2000, she had her first WESTPAC deployment, ther first for Operation Southern Watch. Next this was Operation Enduring Freedom from 1 December 2001 to 18 June 2002. This she was present for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 17 January 2003 until 26 July 2003. USS Bonhomme Richard in Operation Iraqi Freedom offloaded more than 1,000 Marines from the 1st Battalion into Kuwait, with her attack and transport helicopters and vehicles, and was posted off the coast of Kuwait, swapped and reconfigured as a “light aircraft carrier” (Full Harrier Carriers configuration) along with USS Bataan for ground support with AV-8Bs into Iraq. Pilots from VMA-211 and VMA-311 dropped some 175,000 pounds (79,000 kg) of ordnance in hundreds of close air support missions and strikes, Bonhomme Richard alone performed 800, inc. 547 combat sorties.

Bonhomme Richard next sailed to Sri Lanka for relief efforts after 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. On 4 January 2005, she took part in a massive airlift relief suppl run to Sumatra. Next she was deployed to Operation Unified Assistance from 5 January 2005 to February 2005, launching her helicopters for daily supply, medical operations and evacuations across Indonesia. In July, she took part in RIMPAC 2006. From April to November 2007 she joined the USS John C. Stennis and Nimitz CSGs off the coast of Iran for exercises. In July she took also part in RIMPAC 2008 off Hawaii. From September 2009 to April 2010 she served in the 5th and 7th Fleet Areas of Operations, notably to East Timor and stopping at Phuket in Thailand or Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia plus the usual RIMPAC 2010, in the Kaulakahi Channel in Hawaiian islands, between Kauai and Niʻihau, Pacific Missile Range.

Bonhomme Richard swapped with USS Essex the role of command ship for Expeditionary Strike Group 7, homeported to Sasebo on 23 April 2012. That next summer 2013 she was part of Exercise Talisman Sabre off Queensland, Australia, and the Coral Sea. She had R&R in Sydney from 16 August. Back to Sasebo CO Daniel Dusek was relieved of command for his alleged involvement in the “Fat Leonard” corruption scandal with Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA). XO M.J. Tynch, took command. She took part in SAR assistance after the sinking of the South Korean ferry MV Sewol with her helicopters on 16 April 2014. She took part in Exercise Talisman Saber 2017 (33,000 Australian and U.S. troop, 20 ships, 200 aircrafts) in June 2017. Her crew had R&R at Melbourne. On 5 August 2017, one MV-22 Osprey of Sqn. 265 with the MEU 31 took off and then crashed in Shoalwater Bay, east Australian coast but a SAR helicopter and rhibs were there in no time, so “only” three of the 23 personnel on board died. Their bodies were recovered three weeks later. On 8 May 2018 she was homeported back to San Diego. That change since 2012 is perhaps one cause of what followed.

USS Bonhomme Richard on fire at Naval Base San Diego on 12 July 2020

On 12 July 2020, while USS Bonhomme Richard was docked at San Diego, witnesses reported an explosion at c8:50 a.m. aboard while she was undergoing maintenance. The fire rapidly spread, fueled by paper, cloth, rags. Fuel oil and other hazardous materials had been drained before maintenance. Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck (Expeditionary Strike Group 3) reported extra details to the press in the evening an all-day the fire was battled against, but this was not an easy task, with the on-board fire-suppression systems disabled for the maintenance. The first opinion was that the fire started in the military trucks parking while at sea. Others blamed shipyard workers for having temporarily placed combustible materials. 17 sailors and 4 civilians were evacuated to the hospital due to the toxic fumes but there was no fatalities. By 14 July the fire went still on and the number of calualties rose to 61, minor injuries, heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation.

It’s only on 16 July, five days after this, that the last fire was extinguished. CNO Admiral Michael Gilday reported to the press a “a very, very serious incident” that would trigger the Navy to investigate the cause and address any systemic problems. During the ‘battle”, even squadron HSC-3 helicopters dropped water from above. Eight sailors earned promotions for their efforts in the fire on 31 July. Damage assessment reported 11 of 14 decks destroyed, sections of the flight deck and others to replace (warped and bulged) and the island gutted. The aft mast was removed to ensure it would not collapse. On 26 August 2020, news reported a sailor investigated for arson and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), with other federal agencies went on investigating. By September 2020 three investigations were ongoing, by Naval Sea Systems Command, a review board investigation on safety issues in design and structure, a safety review related to activities before the fire and another into command issues led by Vice Admiral Scott Conn, 3rd Fleet CiC. Fire-suppression foam was never released due to a lack of training for example.

Long story sort, on 29 July 2021, a sailor was charged by the NCIS with aggravated arson, later identified as Seaman Apprentice Ryan Sawyer Mays. Next CNO Samuel Paparo characterized the crew as “unprepared”, training/readiness as “deficient”. Later the captain, XO, command master chief, chief engineer were all criticized for leadership failures, emphasized poor communication and coordination and blamed in 2022 retired vice admiral Richard Brown for his compacency at the time. Letters of reprimand to Captains Gregory Thoroman and Michael Ray, and a trial was held on 19-30 September 2022 but after two weeks military judge acquitted Mays on charges of arson and willful hazarding.

However what to do with LHD-6 ? From 30 November 2020 damage started to be repaired. Estimations were 5-7 years for $2.5 billion-$3.2 billion in repairs. It was thus decided to withdraw her from service, stripped her bare to gather useful spares (valued $100,000) for her sisters, then sold her for scrap. By February 2021 congressmen from Florida wanted her sunk as artificial reef. She was decommissioned on 14-15 April 2021 and towed from San Diego to Texas, with her scrapping starting on 9 April 2021 by International Shipbreaking Ltd. Brownsville for $3.66 million including recycling. More

Iwo Jima was laid down on 12 December 1997, launched on 4 February 2000 and completed on 30 June 2001. She was homeported to Norfolk, Virginia. During her maiden voyage on 23 June 2001, she hosted c2,000 World War II veterans, inc. many survivors of the Battle of Iwo Jima. She was commissioned a week later. After an accelerated Inter Deployment Training Cycle testing every system in realistic combat conditions she was open to the public after the 11 September 2001 attacks. In 2002 she was present for Fleet Week in New York. She embarked the 26th MEU to form her own Amphibious Ready Group with other ships and departed on 4 March 2003 to join Operation Enduring Freedom. She deployed Marines in April 2003 into Northern Iraq and by July 2003, she was sent off Liberia (Second Liberian Civil War) to work with the Southern European Task Force (SETAF) landing the 26 MEU for humanitarian assessments. In 2004, she was at Fleet Week locally. She became the 2nd Fleet flagship in 2005.

Next she was part of the answer after Hurricane Katrina, departing on 31 August 2005, while training in the Gulf of Mexico, to provide disaster relief and support, after sailed up the Mississippi River into New Orleans, acting as the central command center for all federal, state and local disaster recovery operations. Her deck was also the only fully functional air field for helicopter operations. When urgent work was done, she went to clean-up operations. She also was flagship for George W. Bush, Hurricane Katrina Joint Task Force and presented the presidental flag. On 6 June 2006 she left Norfol for a 6-month deployment as flagship for the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (6,000 sailors and Marines in several ships), taking part in opetations off Lebanon. On 15 July 2006 with 24th MUE, evacuation of U. S. citizens started at Beirut. On 16 February 2007, she won the 2006 Battle “E” award. She took part in 2009, 2010, and 2011 Fleet Weeks in New York City and on 3 November 2010, was sent off Haiti waiting for the Storm Tomas to strike.

On 11 April 2012, she lost a MV-22 from VMM-261, which crashed near Agadir, Morocco in a joint training exercise (crew kills, pilots badly injured). By May 2012, she was deployed in the Gulf of Aqaba and south Red Sea. In November 2012, she crossed the canal to the eastern Mediterranean while tension rose between Israel and Hamas, notably to prepar to evacuate U.S. citizens. By August 2014, she was homeported to Mayport and by January 2015, she sailed with USS Fort McHenry and USS New York off Yemen on standby to evacuate the US embassy after the Yemeni government fell to the Houtis. By October 2016, she relieved USS Mesa Verde in assistance after Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.

By October-November 2018, she took part in “Trident Juncture” in Norway. By December 2021, she was homeported to NS Norfolk to reinforce the East Coast amphibious assets. On 14 August she left with 4,500 Marines from the 22 MEU with USS Fort Lauderdale and USS San Antonio plus two destroyers in her Ready Group for the South Caribbean Operation Southern Spear, with live-firing exercise in November off Venezuela. Fast forward on 3 January 2026 after strikes in Venezuela, and capture of President Nicolás Maduro, they were taken into custody aboard the Iwo Jima, as part of Operation Absolute Resolve. More

USS Making Island on 14 November 2011, with Sailors and Marines man the rails aboard the amphibious assault ship as she departs San Diego on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Navy’s Maritime Strategy. This was her maiden deployment after spending years testing her CODOG arrangement planned for future LHDs in the fleet. The Navy expects fuel savings of $250 million in any LHD lifecycle (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist John Lill/Released).

USS Makin Island was laid down on 14 February 2004, launched on 22 September 2006 and commissioned without ceremony on 24 October 2009, at Pascagoula, Mississippi with Captain Bob Kopas in command. Given her nature, as the firs hybrid ship, combining gas turbines and diesel-eletric powerplant (see below), she was deployed on 10 July 2009 for a round trip of South America via the Magellan strait. All this time the crew continued to train obtain underway certifications in order to start service at her homeport of San Diego. USS Makin Island all along conducted security cooperation drills with Brazil, Chile, and Peru. She arrived at San Diego on 14 September with Captain Kopas declaring in an interview that she had save the US taxpayers US $2 million in fuel, compared with a conventional LHD.

Makin Island indeed was planned as the first “hybrid-drive” large warship with its mix of gas-turbine and diesel-electric and 70% of her trip was under diesel-electric propulsion, saving fuel and only starting rapidly her gas turbines to to more than 12 knots, in true CODOG fashion, and in contradiction to usual steam power habits for large ships in the USN. LHDs with their 41,000 tonnes FL are indeed, after the Nimitz and Ford class supercarriers (nuclear-powered), the largest USN warships and their fuel consumption is gargantuan. Gas Turbines are quicker, lighter than steam turbines, but less fuel efficient. The solution is a CODOG, with the diuesels expected to provide the bulk of the power for daily operations.

On an average day, Makin Island was indeed down to 15,000 US gallons (57,000 L) of fuel, versus 35-40,000 US gallons (130,000–150,000 L) for her sisters, according to Capt. James Landers, CO. However logistically it is more demanding, with more parts, and is software dependent. Internal heating came from electrical sources and above 20 °F (−7 °C) excess heating can be reallocated to run dditional electric propulsion. In short, the Navy needed this test to validate the new powerplant for the replacement America class LHDs. Her formal commission was thus pushed back to 24 October 2009 at NS North Island, Coronado with six USMC veterans of the Makin Island raid at the ceremony. She visited San Francisco in October 2010 for Fleet Week as well as in 2012 after making her maiden deployment in the 5th-7th Fleet AORs.

On 1 October 2014, she took part in Operation Inherent Resolve as part of a task force in the northern Gul, 11th MEU embarked, and performed strikes against ISIS. She however lost an MV-22 which lost power after take-off. The pilot was somewhat able to regain control enough to crash land, sa all small boats in the task force started to search for them. Only one crewmember was found. By December 2014 in an hostage rescue operation in Yemen, they were were flown in for medical treatment while in the Gulf of Aden. In October 2016 USS Makin Island tried rescued the solo sailor Guo Chuan of the “Qingdao China”, missing after attempting to break the world record from San Francisco to Shanghai. 27 October she catamaran was found adrift without its skipper, 620 miles (1,000 km) northwest of Oahu. The SAR was 4,600 square miles (12,000 km2) wide but he was never found.

In 2020 her crew is hitby COVID. However she won the Medical Department annual health promotion and wellness award “Green H” on June 2. On June, 12, Capt. Tom Ulmer assumed command, replacing Capt. Chris “Woody” Westphal. On the morning of July 12 when fire is declared on USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), many sailors are volunteers to combat it and do the necessary to avoid furthe casualties. In August, she worked with fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) for logistics services in her Readiness Group in routine, pre-deployment training before a new WestPac. In October, one free room is modified into the “Ocho Café” on board, a first in an LHD. In December, while off Somalia under the joint TF she takes part in the Operation Octave Quartz, testing her Weapons Systems, qualifiying for her Operational Maneuver From the Sea (OMFTS) and Ship to Objective Maneuver (STOM).

In February 2021 she is redeployed in the Zrabian gulf escorted by USS Port Royal (CG 73) and the dry cargo ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7), transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the amphibious transport dock ships USS Somerset (LPD 25) and USS San Diego (LPD 22), plus on board the 15th MEU in support to Operations Inherent Resolve and Enduring Freedom. On 21 April, U.S. Navy Capt. Henry Kim assumed command of CPR 3 from Capt. Stewart Bateshansky in a ceremony on board. On 21 she sails home, arrived on the 23 at San Diego and on 09 September Capt. Tony Chavez assumed command. On 7 March, she won the Ney Award. On 17 May her most realistic and largest fire drill is a success, following the disaster on Bonhomme Richard. Later she hosts stsdents from a local high school with USS Anchorage and on the 29th, hosts BDOC tours.
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Succession: America Class

USS America’s flight deck. This class was the first optimized to operate the F35B as replacement for the AV8B Harrier.

The America-class amphibious assault ship is a class of large-deck amphibious assault ships (LHD/LHA type) operated by the United States Navy. These ships are designed to support Marine expeditionary operations while also functioning as light aircraft carriers for helicopters and short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) jets like the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II. USS America (LHA-6) like her sisters were ordered from HII Ingalls Shipbuilding and are larger than the LHDs, with a displacement of 45,000 tons full load 844 ft (257 m) in lenght, still the same capacity of 1,600 Marines. USS America (LHA-6) and USS Tripoli (LHA-7) were optimized for extra aviation operations with larger aviation fuel and maintenance spaces and no well deck for landing craft. From USS Bougainville (LHA-8) however, the Navy restored a smaller well deck to balance aviation capability with amphibious landing operations.

The new ships are stilltailored for Amphibious assault support, Marine expeditionary operations, Humanitarian assistance/disaster relief with generous medical facilities as well, but also sea control and limited carrier operations but they are optimized to operate the F-35B and facilitates strike missions. In addition the second main asset also optimized, is the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey. But they are still capable of operating legacy Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, MH-60 Seahawk and Bell AH-1Z Viper. So far USS America (LHA-6), USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and USS Bougainville (LHA-8) are built with additional units under construction or planned.

Read More/Src

22nd MEU’s LCAC from USS Bataan in Philbex 2014.

USS Bonhomme Richard under the Golden Gate.

USS Bonhomme Richard flanked by John C Stennis CVN-74 and USS Nimitz CVN-68.

USS Boxer and a CH-53E Super Stallion passing by

USS Boxer well deck door

Schopp deck tractor towing an AV8B in 2016 on USS Boxer, Gulf of Aden

Books

Bishop, Chris; Chant, Christopher (2004). Aircraft Carriers: The World’s Greatest Naval Vessels and Their Aircraft. London: MBI.
LHD-7 USS Iwo Jima Model How to build Trumpeter’s LHD-7 USS Iwo Jima Model. Glenn Hoover Model Build Instruction Series No. 30

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navypedia.org
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Category:Wasp_class_amphibious_assault_ships

Videos

US Navy Amphibious Ready Group Explained: A Floating Invasion Force
USS Wasp Arrives in Sasebo, Japan (2018)

Model Kits & 3D

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