Wikipedia

America-class amphibious assault ship

Not to be confused with America-class steamship or America-class ship of the line.

The America class (formerly the LHA(R) class) is a ship class of landing helicopter assault (LHA) type amphibious assault ships for the United States Navy (USN). The class is designed to put ashore a Marine Expeditionary Unit using helicopters and MV-22B Osprey V/STOL transport aircraft, supported by AV-8B Harrier II or F-35 Lightning II V/STOL aircraft and various attack helicopters. The first of these warships was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2014 to replace USS Peleliu of the Tarawa class; as many as eleven will be built.[8] The design of the America class is based on that of USS Makin Island, the last ship of the Wasp class, but the "Flight 0" ships of the America class will not have well decks, and have smaller on-board hospitals to provide more space for aviation uses.

USS America (LHA-6) sailing in 2018.
Class overview
Builders
Operators United States Navy
Preceded byWasp class
CostUS$10.094 billion – initial program cost for 3 ships ($3.4B/unit[1] FY15)
Built2008–
In commission2014–
Planned11
Building2
Completed2
Active2
General characteristics
TypeLanding helicopter assault (LHA)
Displacement44,971 long tons (45,693 t)[2] full load
Length844 ft (257 m)[3][4]
Beam106 ft (32 m)
Propulsion
  • Two gas turbines, two shafts, with 70,000 bhp (52,000 kW) total;
  • Two 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) auxiliary propulsion engines
SpeedOver 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilitiesHangar deck

Although they carry only helicopters and V/STOL aircraft, the America class, with a displacement of about 45,000 long tons (46,000 t), is similar in size to the French Charles de Gaulle and the Indian INS Vikramaditya fixed-wing aircraft carriers. Also, while more than 124 feet (38 m) shorter, America class ships are of comparable displacement to the former US Navy Midway-class aircraft carriers.

Ships of the America class can be used as a small aircraft carrier with a squadron of jet fighters plus several multipurpose helicopters, such as the MH-60 Seahawk. They can carry about 20 to 25 AV-8B, F-35Bs, or a mixture of the two, but the future ships of this class, starting with USS Bougainville (LHA-8), will have smaller aircraft hangars to leave room for larger amphibious warfare well decks.[9]

Design

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Profile view of USS America off San Diego on 9 November 2013

America is based on the design of USS Makin Island, itself an improved version of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ships with gas turbine power. About 45 percent of the "Flight 0" design of this class is based on that of Makin Island, but with its well deck omitted to allow more room for aircraft, their spare parts and weapons, and their fuel.[10] The gas turbines of Makin Island, America, and their successors use JP-5 fuel[citation needed] which is the same fuel used by their helicopters, the jet engines of their AV-8B Harrier and MV-22 Osprey aircraft and, in future ships, the gas turbines of the Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs) that they could carry in their well decks. This commonality greatly simplifies the storage, distribution, and use of the fuels.

The typical aircraft complement for the first two vessels is expected to be twelve MV-22B Osprey transports, six F-35B Lightning II STOVL multi-role jet aircraft, four CH-53K heavy transport helicopters, seven AH-1Z/UH-1Y attack/utility helicopters, and two Navy MH-60S Knighthawks for air-sea rescue.[5] The exact make-up of the ship's aircraft complements may vary according to their missions. They can carry about 20 AV-8Bs or F-35Bs, and 2 MH-60Ss,[5] to serve as a small aircraft carrier as demonstrated by landing helicopter dock (LHD) operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.[11]

The U.S. Marine Corps is now more concerned about anti-ship missile attacks from fast attack craft and long-range precision fires from land. To counter such attacks the Marine Corps wants to keep amphibious ships farther offshore. For this Marines will be transported ashore in larger and longer range MV-22 V/STOL aircraft. To accommodate these requirements, America has twice the displacement of the retired Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ships.[12]

The America-class amphibious assault ships are engineered with a (CODLOG) hybrid-electric propulsion system derived from the one used on Makin Island. The ships can use gas-turbines for high speeds and the diesel-electric engines when required.[13] Setting the beam of America at 106 feet (32 m) was dictated by the need for these ships to pass through the Panama Canal. The Congressional Budget Office found that if before 2040 the price of oil reached and remained above $140 per barrel then the use of nuclear propulsion for LHX-class ships would be more cost-effective.[14]

 
USMC Lockheed F-35Bs aboard USS America on 8 October 2019

The LHX or LH(X) was a warship that was proposed in the late 1990s to replace the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships, but with a dry deck for hovercraft rather than a floodable "well deck". After 2000, the LHX, the "Amphibious Assault Ship Future Replacement", was put forward to replace all of the LHDs.[15] The new LHX could be a Flight 2 design of the America class built with a well deck and a smaller island superstructure, which would give it 20 percent more capacity on the flight deck.[15] This would remove the current restriction on MV-22s to land on spots 5 and 6, and also giving room for four MV-22B, three F-35B Lightning IIs, or three CH-53Ks to use the flight deck. In 2008, the procurement of Flight 2 ships was tentatively planned for 2024,[15] but that might not be practical or affordable by then.

A modified version of the design of America, designated the MPF(F), LHA(R), or T-LHA(R), was proposed for two ships of the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future).[16] The MPF(F) is the Navy's concept for a "sea base" to support operations ashore starting in about 2025.[17] These two ships would hypothetically be crewed by civilians from the Military Sealift Command and not armed with weapons.[16] Funding for the MPF(F) and the LHA(R) was tabled by the Senate Armed Services Committee in the fiscal year 2008 budget.[16] The U.S. Navy now intends to buy more ships of the America class for its fleet of amphibious warfare ships.[17]

In January 2014, the U.S. Navy began taking measures on America in order to reduce damage from excessive heat given off by the F-35B and MV-22 to prolong the life of the flight deck. The F-35B engine gives off much more heat than the previous AV-8B Harrier STOVL fighter and the MV-22 Osprey's heat exhaust has been known to damage flight decks. Plans include 14 different modifications to the ship and limiting the number of flight operations that are conducted off the deck. The U.S. Navy is looking for cost-effective solutions that will not affect the combat effectiveness of America. Restricting the number of flight operations is not expected to decrease its usefulness as amphibious assault ships are made to support quick assaults, while full-sized aircraft carriers have the mission of conducting sustained air operations. Lessons learned from these measures will be applied to Tripoli and Bougainville under construction, which will allow them to perform "complete unrestricted operations."[18] Minor modifications to America are as small as putting covers over life rafts and refueling stations and moving antennas.[19]

Well deck

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USS Tripoli underway on 15 July 2019

Further warships in this class will have a well deck for amphibious warfare[20] in their sterns to contain landing craft, such as the LCAC, as in Tarawa-class LHAs and Wasp-class amphibious assault ships.

The addition of a well deck will leave less space for aircraft on board the ships, but the "Early Operational Assessment" of 2005 criticized the "Flight 0" design because the expanded aviation facilities gave no space for a well deck. Also, USS America has reduced stowage space for military vehicles, and the size of its hospital was reduced by two-thirds with respect to the Wasp-class ships.[5]

Before he became the Under Secretary of the Navy, Robert O. Work also brought into question the usefulness of an amphibious warfare ship without a well deck. The concept of the landing platform helicopter (LPH) had failed when their helicopters met enemy anti-aircraft systems off the coast of Lebanon during the late 1970s. In that case, Marines first had to be moved onto ships that had well decks.[12]

The third ship of the class (USS Bougainville) will be the first in its class with a well deck for deploying amphibious vehicles. While there was emphasis on lighter ground vehicles in the late 1990s, up-armored and heavier vehicles were used during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Future counterinsurgency operations require ships that can carry and deliver those vehicles, including through use of shore connectors; cargo lift requirements are met more expensively by aircraft airlifting equipment. Adding the well deck will require the ship's island to be slightly smaller compared to its two predecessors. Early design work with funds will begin in 2015, detailed design work and construction will start in 2017, and the LHA-8 will enter service in 2024.[19]

History

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The stern of USS America in 2016

The program started in July 2001, with development beginning in October 2005, the production decision was made in January 2006, and construction of LHA-6 began in December 2008.[10][20]

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding was awarded $48.1M for "additional planning and advanced engineering services in support of the LHA replacement (LHA[R]) Flight 0 amphibious assault ship (LHA-7)" on 28 October 2010, to run until May 2012.[21] It was scheduled for delivery in 2017. In January 2011, development problems led to the F-35B program being delayed two years, and plans for LHA-7 could change if the F-35B were to be canceled.[22]

In April 2012, Contract N00024-10-C-2229 was issued to Huntington Ingalls Industries, in which funding for steel plate purchases for LHA-7 was planned, and announced the requirement for an additional four ships (to LHA-10).[23]

On 4 May 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the selection of USS Tripoli as the name for the Navy's next large-deck amphibious assault ship (LHA-7).[24] On 20 June 2014, Ingalls Shipyards, authenticated Tripoli's keel in ceremony by the ship's sponsor, Lynne Mabus, wife of Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus.[25] Tripoli was officially delivered to the U.S. Navy on 28 February 2020.[26]

On 13 June 2014, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that it had awarded a contract worth for $23.5 million to General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California for design and development work on LHA-8.[27]

On 14 December 2021, a $70.8 million U.S. Navy contract was awarded to Huntington Ingalls as its latest installment toward acquiring long-lead-time materials for LHA-9. The award was offered by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.[28]

On 27 October 2022, the U.S. Navy awarded Ingalls Shipbuilding a $2.4 billion contract modification for detail, design, and construction of LHA-9.[29] The ship's name was announced as USS Fallujah on 13 December 2022.[30]

LHA-10 was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2023, providing $US1.38 billion for her procurement.[31] The ship was named by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro on 2 May 2024, USS Helmand Province.[32]

Ships in class

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Ship Hull Number Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport Status
Flight 0
America LHA-6 Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula 17 July 2009 4 June 2012 11 October 2014[33] Sasebo, Nagasaki In active service
Tripoli LHA-7 22 June 2014 1 May 2017 15 July 2020[34] San Diego, California In active service
Flight I
Bougainville LHA-8 Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula 14 March 2019[35] 6 October 2023[36] Estimated 2025 Norfolk, Virginia Under construction
Fallujah LHA-9 20 September 2023 Under construction[29]
Helmand Province LHA-10 Authorized[37][38]

References

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  1. ^ "GAO-15-342SP Defense Acquisitions Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs" (PDF). US Government Accountability Office. March 2015. p. 105. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. ^ Cavas, Christopher P. (4 November 2013). "New big-deck amphib AMERICA (LHA 6) takes to the sea for the first time". Defense News. Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  3. ^ "PREPARED IN WAR OR IN PEACE". allhands.navy.mil. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  4. ^ "America class Amphibious Assault Ship - LHA". seaforces.org. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e "LHA 6 (formerly LHA(R)) New Amphibious Assault Ship" (PDF). FY2008 Annual Report for the Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation. DOT&E. 2008. p. 149. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  6. ^ "The US Navy - Fact File: AN/SPS-48G". America's Navy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Amphibious Photo Archive: USS America (LHA-6)". NavSource Online. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  8. ^ Osborn, Kris (3 June 2014). "First America-class Amphib Nears Completion". Defense Tech. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  9. ^ Freedberg, Sydney J. Jr. (3 October 2012). "Navy's Newest, LHA-6, A Dead End For Amphibious Ships?". Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  10. ^ a b GAO-09-326SP 'Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs', U.S. Government Accountability Office, 30 March 2009, archived from the original on 30 August 2009, retrieved 19 January 2012
  11. ^ "Keel Laid for Latest Addition to Multimission-Capable Amphibious Fleet". United States Navy. 18 July 2009. Archived from the original on 8 August 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  12. ^ a b Jean, Grace V. (September 2008). "Marines Question the Utility of Their New Amphibious Warship". National Defense Magazine. National Defense Industrial Association. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010.
  13. ^ Navy to Test Hybrid-Propulsion on Destroyers Archived 10 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine - Defensetech.org, 6 August 2013
  14. ^ "The Cost-Effectiveness of Nuclear Power for Navy Surface Ships" Archived 25 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. CBO, May 2011.
  15. ^ a b c "Systematic approach to an enduring requirement" (PPT). US Marines Corps. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  16. ^ a b c "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008". Library of Congress. 5 June 2007.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ a b Stackley, Sean J. (25 May 2011). "Statement before the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces of the House Armed Forces Committee on Navy Shipbuilding" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2012.
  18. ^ SNA 2014: Heat From F-35, MV-22 Continue to Plague Big Deck Amphibs Archived 26 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine - News.USNI.org, 15 January 2014
  19. ^ a b Navy Bringing Well Decks Back to Amphibs Archived 23 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine - DoDBuzz.com, 18 January 2014
  20. ^ a b Stackley, Sean J. (16 March 2011). "Statement before the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces of the House Armed Forces Committee on Amphibious Operations". Archived from the original on 15 April 2012.
  21. ^ "Contract". Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), U.S. Department of Defense. 28 October 2010. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  22. ^ Cavas, Christopher P. (8 January 2011). "Fleet will feel effects of major Corps cuts". Navy Times.
  23. ^ "LHA Amphibious Assault Ships". Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Future Multipurpose Amphibious Assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) Keel Authenticated". America's Navy. U.S. Navy. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  25. ^ "Media Advisory - Navy Secretary Mabus, Mississippi Gov. Bryant to Speak at Keel Authentication of Tripoli (LHA 7)" (News Release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Tripoli" (Press release). United States Navy. 28 February 2020. NNS200228-09. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  27. ^ Defense.gov Contract Announcements include General Dynamic's award for LHA-8's development research for Flight I version of LHA-8. Archived 4 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "WICKER, HYDE-SMITH WELCOME $70.8 MILLION CONTRACT FOR MISS. BUILT AMPHIBIOUS WARSHIP". 14 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  29. ^ a b Shelbourne, Mallory. "Navy Awards Ingalls Shipbuilding $2.4B to Start LHA-9". USNI News. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  30. ^ "SECNAV Names Future America-class Amphibious Assault Ship Fallujah" (Press release). United States Navy. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  31. ^ Lagrone, Sam (28 July 2022). "Senate FY 2023 Appropriations Bill Adds $4B to Navy Shipbuilding, Money for New Amphibs". United States Naval Institute News.
  32. ^ Lagrone, Sam (2 May 2024). "SECNAV Del Toro Names Next Big Deck Amphib USS Helmand Province". United States Naval Institute.
  33. ^ "Amphibious Assault Ship USS America (LHA 6) Commissioned into U.S. Navy". Navy Recognition. 12 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  34. ^ "U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli Joins the Fleet". Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  35. ^ "Ingalls Shipbuilding Authenticates Keel of America-class Amphibious Warship Bougainville (LHA 8)" (Press release). Huntington Ingalls Industries. 13 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  36. ^ "HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding Launches Amphibious Assault Ship Bougainville (LHA 8)". HII. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Senate FY 2023 Appropriations Bill Adds $4B to Navy Shipbuilding, Money for New Amphibs". USNI News. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  38. ^ Lagrone, Sam (2 May 2024). "SECNAV Del Toro Names Next Big Deck Amphib USS Helmand Province".
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