LHD is the US Navy hull classification symbol for multipurpose amphibious assault ships of the Wasp class. They are the newest amphibious assault ships of the US Navy and are the largest of their kind in the world. Ships of this class currently in active service include: The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... The United States Navy uses hull classification symbols (sometimes called hull codes) to identify the types of its ships. ... Six of the U.S. Navys seven amphibious assault ships in formation The Italian MM San Giusto Amphibious assault ships, usually shortened to amphibs, phibs or popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by... The Wasp class amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy are designed to land forces on hostile shores, and they are the largest vessels of this type in service anywhere in the world. ...

• (LHD-1) USS Wasp
• (LHD-2) USS Essex
• (LHD-3) USS Kearsarge
• (LHD-4) USS Boxer
• (LHD-5) USS Bataan
• (LHD-6) USS Bonhomme Richard
• (LHD-7) USS Iwo Jima
• (LHD-8) USS Makin Island (Under construction)

See: List of amphibious warfare ships USS Wasp (LHD-1) is a U.S. Navy multipurpose amphibious assault ship, the tenth to be named after the wasp, and the lead ship of her class. ... USS Essex (LHD-2) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1992. ... USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), the third Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy to be named (the fourth actually commissioned) in honor of the sloop Kearsarge, of American Civil War fame. ... The sixth USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. ... USS Bataan (LHD-5) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1997. ... USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), the third United States Navy ship of that name, was named in honor of John Paul Jones famous frigate, which he had named the French language equivalent of Goodman Richard, in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. Ambassador to France at the time. ... USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. ... USS Makin Island (LHD-8), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, will be the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Makin Island, target of the Marine Raiders attack early in World War II. Makin Island was laid down on 14 February 2004 by the Ingalls... This is a list of amphibious warfare ships updated as of January 2005. ...