USS America (LHA-6)
_off_Pascagoula_in_2013.JPG) USS America (LHA-6), during trials in 2013
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | America |
| Namesake | United States of America |
| Awarded | 1 June 2007[4] |
| Builder | Huntington Ingalls Industries |
| Laid down | 17 July 2009 [5] |
| Launched | 4 June 2012 [1] |
| Sponsored by | Lynne Pace[5] |
| Christened | 20 October 2012 [2] |
| Acquired | 2013 (planned)[2] |
| Commissioned | 2014 (planned)[3] |
| Motto | list error: <br /> list (help) "Bello vel pace paratus" ("Ready for War or Peace") |
| Status | Under construction |
| Notes | list error: <br /> list (help) Program cost, $6.8 billion[6] Unit cost, $3.4 billion (FY 2011)[6] |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | America-class amphibious assault ship[5] |
| Displacement | 44,971 long tons (45,693 t)[7] full load |
| Length | 844 feet (257.3 meters) |
| Beam | 106 feet (32.3 meters) |
| Draft | 26 feet (7.9 meters) |
| Propulsion | Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors. |
| Speed | 20+ knots (37+ km/h) |
| Complement | list error: <br /> list (help) 65 officers, 994 enlisted 1,687 Marines (plus 184 surge) |
| Sensors and processing systems | list error: <br /> list (help) AN/SPQ-9B fire control AN/SPS-48E airsearch radar[8] |
| Electronic warfare & decoys | list error: <br /> list (help) AN/SLQ-32B(V)2 2×Mk53 NULKA decoy launchers[8] |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 2× Rolling Airframe Missile launchers 2× Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile launchers 2× 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts 7× twin .50 BMG machine guns |
| Aircraft carried | list error: <br /> list (help) MV-22B Osprey F-35B Lightning II CH-53K Super Stallion UH-1Y Venom AH-1Z Viper MH-60S Knighthawk |
PCU America (LHA-6), the fourth American warship to be named for the United States of America,[9] will be the first of the America-class amphibious assault ships for the U.S. Navy. As of 2014[update] she will be delivered in spring of 2014,[10] replacing USS Peleliu (LHA-5) of the Tarawa class. Her mission is to act as the flagship of an expeditionary strike group or amphibious ready group, carrying part of a Marine expeditionary unit into battle and putting them ashore with helicopters and V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, supported by F-35B Lightning II aircraft and helicopter gunships.
Her design is based on USS Makin Island (LHD-8) but with no well deck and smaller medical spaces to allow more room for aviation facilities. With a displacement of 45,000 tons she is as big as the aircraft carriers of many other nations, and can fulfil similar missions when configured with 20 F-35B strike fighters.
Design
The design is based on the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), itself an improved version of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Approximately 45% of the Flight 0 design is based on LHD-8, with the well deck removed to allow more room for aircraft and aviation fuel.[11] Removal of the well dock for landing craft provides for an extended hangar deck with two significantly wider high bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance.
These changes were required in order to operate the F-35B and MV-22 which are considerably larger than the aircraft they replace.[12] The typical aircraft complement is expected to be 12 MV-22B Osprey transports, 6 STOVL F-35B Lightning II attack aircraft, 4 CH-53K heavy transport helicopters, 7 AH-1Z/UH-1Y attack helicopters and 2 Navy MH-60S "Knighthawks" for air-sea rescue.[8] The exact makeup of the ship's aircraft complement will vary according to its mission. It can carry 20 F-35B and 2 MH-60S[8] to serve as a small aircraft carrier as demonstrated by LHD operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.[5]
Other enhancements include a reconfigurable command and control complex, an on-board hospital, additional aviation fuel capacity, and numerous aviation support spaces.[9]
History
The U.S. Navy awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation's Ingalls Shipyard Division a $2.4 billion fixed-price incentive contract for the detailed design and construction of LHA-6, primarily at the company's shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.[9] The production decision was made in January 2006[11] and construction of LHA-6 began in December 2008.[11] Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter announced in June 2008 that the ship would be named America.[13] The keel-laying ceremony was held on 17 July 2009[5] with delivery originally planned for August 2012.[11] The ship was launched on 4 June 2012,[1] and christened on 20 October.[2] As of 2014[update], America is scheduled for delivery in spring of 2014, with Naval Base San Diego as her home port.[2][10] She took to the sea for the first time on 5 November 2013, for 5 days of builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico,[7] and completed acceptance sea trials in February 2014.[10]
See also
- USS America (CV-66) — Kitty Hawk-class supercarrier decommissioned in 1996
References
- ^ a b "Future USS America (LHA 6) Launched". Naval Sea Systems Command. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d Radzius, Darius A. (20 October 2012). "U.S. Navy Christens Future USS America (LHA 6)". Navy Office of Information. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "General Characteristics, LHA(R) Class LHA (6)." United States Navy
- ^ "America". Naval Vessel Register. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Keel Laid for Latest Addition to Multimission-Capable Amphibious Fleet". United States Navy. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
- ^ a b Analysis: Fiscal year 2012 Pentagon spending request, Cost of war, 2011.
- ^ a b Cavas, Christopher P. (4 November 2013). "New big-deck amphib AMERICA (LHA 6) takes to the sea for the first time". Defense News. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d "LHA 6 (formerly LHA(R)) New Amphibious Assault Ship" (pdf). DOT&E. 2008. p. 149.
- ^ a b c "Navy Names New Amphibious Assault Ship". United States Navy. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
- ^ a b c "USS America (LHA 6) successfully completes acceptance sea trials". United States Navy. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d GAO-09-326SP 'Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs', U.S. Government Accountability Office, 30 March 2009
- ^ Jean, Grace V. Marines Question the Utility of Their New Amphibious Warship National Defense Industrial Association, September 2008
- ^ Ewing, Philip (30 June 2008). "New amphib to be named America". Navy Times. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
External links
- Official page
- New Class of USMC Aircraft Carriers
- [1]
- Priolo, Gary P. (8 June 2012). "USS America (LHA-6)". Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose) (LHA) Index. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 4 December 2012.