USS America (LHA-6)

History of the US aircraft carrier (LHA-6)

The Tarawa-class family of amphibious assault ships (5 built between 1971 and 1980) was eventually succeeded by the new American class with the same role. The USS America (LHA-6) self-led group plans to have 11.

As of this writing (December 2017), USS America is the only active US-class warship in service with the United States Navy (USN), with another sister ship currently under construction (USS Tripoli LHA-7), another Ship on order (USS Bougainville - LHA-8). All ships are the product of Ingalls Shipyard in Pensacola, Florida.

The aircraft carrier USS America was handed over to Ingalls on June 1, 2007 and laid down on July 17, 2009. She was launched on June 4, 2012, and officially commissioned on October 11, 2014. It is headquartered in San Diego, California, and fights with the motto "Ready for War or Peace."

The ship has a full-load displacement of 46,000 tons, a length of 844 feet, a beam of 106 feet, and a draft of 26 feet. Power comes from a paired gas turbine unit producing 70,000 hp with 2 auxiliary propulsion engines of 5,000 hp. This allows her to sail at nearly 22 knots.

There are 1,060 crew members on board, possibly 1,690 marines. The ship is equipped with AN/SPQ-9B surface search and fire control radar, AN/SPS-48E(V)10 3D air search radar, AN/SPS-49(V)1 2D air search radar and AN/SPM-43C Air traffic control radar.

Electronic warfare (EW) is handled by the AN/SLQ-32B(V)2 unit (Block 1), the ship carries 2 x Mk 53 NULKA decoy launchers.

Weaponry includes 2x Evolved Sea Sparrow medium-range surface-to-air missile launchers, 2x RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) short-range launchers, 2x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), 2x 25mm M242 "Bushmaster" chain machine guns and up to 7 x .50 heavy machine guns mounted on twin gun mounts.

In section, the warship has a continuous flight deck with an island superstructure on the starboard side. The flight deck serves primarily vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, primarily helicopters, but also AV-8B Harrier II (current) and Lockheed F-35 Lightning II (future) fixed-wing VTOL jets.

In terms of helicopters, the ship can launch and recover MV-22B "Osprey" tilt-rotor transport aircraft, Sikorsky CH-53K "Super Stallion" heavy helicopters, MH-60S "Knight Eagle" and UH-1Y "Venom" medium helicopters . Elevator type and two-seat twin-engine attack helicopter AH-1Z "Viper".

USS America assumes the role of an amphibious assault ship with state-of-the-art systems and resources to better support USN and United States Marine Corps (USMC) operations around the world. It is well-defended and has a wide range of fighters deployed to meet most mission requirements.

Since launching in October 2014, USS America has traveled to various ports in South America. The ship's first operational deployment will also include F-35B fighter jets.

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