Program Summary
Amphibious assault ships are designed to embark, land and
support Marine expeditionary forces for extended periods of
time. These ships resemble smaller aircraft carriers and are
capable of supporting Marine aircraft and landing craft.
Amphibious warships provide the Marine Corps a superb means of
ship-to-shore movement using helicopter and landing craft. These
large warships are designed to sail into harm's way, and provide
a rapid buildup of combat power ashore in the face of
opposition.
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Lynne Pace, sponsor of the amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6), and Irwin F. Edenzon (left front), sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast, thank Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding welder James Sumlin Jr. for welding Pace's initials onto the keel plate during a keel authentication ceremony. (Photo courtesy Northrup Grumman/Released)
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The U.S. Navy currently operates two classes of "big deck"
Amphibious Assault Ships: the Tarawa (LHA 1) class and the Wasp
(LHD 1) class. The LHA (Replacement), or LHA (R), class will
replace the Tarawa class, which is nearing the end of its
service life. USS America (LHA 6) will be the first ship of the
LHA(R) program. As the next generation "big-deck" amphibious
ship, LHA 6 will be optimized for aviation, capable of
supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV
22 and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). LHA 6 will be 844 feet in
length, and will have an impressive displacement of
approximately 44,971 long tons.
LHA 6 features several aviation capabilities enhanced beyond
previous amphibious assault ships. These include an enlarged
hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation
maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available
stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation
fuel capacity.
LHA 6 will facilitate forward presence and power projection
as an integral part of joint, interagency, and multinational
maritime expeditionary forces, supporting the Marine Corps
tenets of Operational Maneuver From the Sea (OMFTS) and Ship to
Objective Maneuver (STOM).
LHA 6 will use the same gas turbine propulsion plant, zonal
electrical distribution and electric auxiliary systems designed
and built for the recently delivered USS Makin Island (LHD 8),
replacing the maintenance intensive steam turbines of earlier
ships. This unique auxiliary propulsion system (APS) was
designed for fuel efficiency. Instead of using main propulsion
engines to power the ship's shaft, the APS uses two
induction-type auxiliary propulsion motors powered from the
ship's electrical grid. By using the proven auxiliary propulsion
system used by LHD 8, PEO Ships is avoiding design and
development costs that are often associated with a new ship
class.
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) commenced construction of LHA
6 in December 2008 at their shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. The
ship’s keel was laid on July 17, 2009. The LHA(R) program plans
a spiral development approach that continues the successful and
low risk evolution of large deck amphibious assault ships.
By providing an affordable and sustainable amphibious ship
development program, LHA(R) will ensure that the nation's
amphibious fleet remains the centerpiece of expeditionary
warfare.