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. To the untrained eye they may resemble an aircraft carrier. However, despite the fact that they normally carry a small number of AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, and have a secondary role supporting this type in larger numbers, their primary role is not operating fixed wing aircraft. They have a large air wing of helicopters which are dedicated to ferrying troops and equipment ashore from the ships. They also possess a well deck for launching smaller landing craft, up to 2 hovercraft LCAC or landing craft LCU. The Wasp class vessels are derived from the earlier Tarawa class. Image File history File linksMetadata USS_Wasp_(LHD_1). ... 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... Suborder Symphyta Apocrita See text for families. ... General characteristics of the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship: Builders: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower (52 MW) Length: 820 ft (249. ... 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... 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... USN redirects here. ... See also Hawker Siddeley Harrier The Harrier II is a second generation, vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) light_attack jet aircraft used by the United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force, Spanish Armada and Italian navy. ... Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ... Landing Craft Utility (LCU) are used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. ... General characteristics of the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship: Builders: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower (52 MW) Length: 820 ft (249. ...

• Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
• Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 shaft horsepower (52 MW);
  (2 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, two geared turbines, two shafts in Makin Island)
• Length: 844 ft (253.2 m)
• Beam: 106 ft (31.8 m)
• Displacement: Approx. 40,500 tons (41,150 metric tons) full load
• Speed: 20 knots (23 mph, 37 km/h)

• Aircraft: number carried varies depending on mission. Possible air wings include:
  • Assault: 42 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
  • Sea Control: 20 AV-8B Harrier attack planes; 6 ASW helicopters

• Ships:
  • USS Wasp (LHD 1), Norfolk, Virginia
  • USS Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan
  • USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, Virginia
  • USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, California
  • USS Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, Virginia
  • USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San Diego, California
  • USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk, Virginia
  • PCU Makin Island (LHD 8)—Under construction at Pascagoula, Mississippi

• Crew:
  • Ships Company: 104 officers, 1,004 enlisted
  • Marine Detachment: 1,894

• Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; three 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts (two on LHD 5≠7); four .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns (LHD 5–7 have three 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns).

• Hospital: 600 beds and six operating rooms

• Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (Wasp)

Stereo image of Ingalls Shipyard 30 August 2005, after the Hurricane Katrina Ingalls Shipbuilding was a shipyard located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, originally established in 1938, and is now part of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. ... Pascagoula is a city located in Jackson County, Mississippi. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The General Electric LM2500 industrial and marine turboshaft gas turbine is a derivative of GE Aircraft Engines CF6-6 aircraft engine. ... This machine has a single-stage radial compressor and turbine, a recuperator, and foil bearings. ... April 1, 2004: Sailors from USS Saipan (LHA-2) rush out to unchain a CH-46 Sea Knight. ... See also Hawker Siddeley Harrier The Harrier II is a second generation, vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) light_attack jet aircraft used by the United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force, Spanish Armada and Italian navy. ... Anti-submarine warfare is a term referring to warfare directed against submarines. ... 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. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... USS Essex (LHD-2) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1992. ... Sasebo (佐世保市; -shi) is a city located in Nagasaki, Japan. ... 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. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The sixth USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. ... It has been suggested that Downtown San Diego be merged into this article or section. ... USS Bataan (LHD-5) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1997. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 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. ... It has been suggested that Downtown San Diego be merged into this article or section. ... USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 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... Pascagoula is a city located in Jackson County, Mississippi. ... RIM-116 test firing RAM Launcher on German Gepard class fast attack craft Wiesel The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the United States Navy, German Navy and South Korean Navy. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation[1] (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... A RIM-7 Sea Sparrow being launched from the USS Essex (LHD-2). ... Block 0 CIWS The Phalanx CIWS (Close-in weapon system, pronounced see-whizz) is an anti-missile system that was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division. ... Phalanx CIWS A Close-in weapon system (CIWS) is a naval shipboard weapon system for detecting and destroying incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft at short range (the threat(s) having penetrated the ships available outer defences). ... Caliber: 25 mm NATO Firearm action: Chain gun Manufactured by: ATK Barrel Length: 85. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Extensive information from Global Security
• Photo gallery

Gallery

Port quarter view of Wasp, showing LCAC Image File history File links Lhd1_uss_wasp209. ... Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ...

Well deck of amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) with a hovercraft about to board. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1500x2100, 596 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wasp class amphibious assault ship User:Mac Davis Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added... BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), is a vehicle or craft that can be supported by a cushion of air ejected downwards against a surface close below it, and can in principle travel over any relatively smooth...

The future Makin Island out of water, showing the size of the hull. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1152x779, 225 KB)Pascagoula, Miss. ...