USS Wasp (LHD-1)

History of USS Wasp (LHD-1)

The ships in the U.S. Navy's Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship program are named after former U.S. Navy warships, in contrast to traditional naming conventions honoring historic U.S. Navy battles. By naming the "LHD-1" the "Wasp," the U.S.

Navy pays homage to no fewer than nine early U.S. Navy warships dating back to the first battleship that fought in the American Revolutionary War (USS Wasp in 1775). ). The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) became the lead ship in the Landing Helicopter Deck (LHD) class of eight similar ships, each at a cost of approximately $822 million. The USS Wasp was only 24 feet shorter than the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-18), which entered service in 1943, and despite the LHD-1's 5,000-ton weight and mission capabilities envisioned during World War II, it was unimaginable.

Her keel was laid by Ingalls Shipyard on 30 May 1985.

The primary mission of the USS Wasp LHD-1 is to provide housing and support for naval forces using landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) vessels. Additionally, her abilities require her to drop material for "on the beach" attacks to defend against threats from enemy coastlines. By providing close air support (CAS) the Air Force's airborne McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II (AV-8B) Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) aircraft also provides air support for beachhead landings such operations needed. The ship also has a large medical staff capable of providing intensive care for up to 600 military wounded or routine frontline patients.

Therefore, wasps can be called upon to undertake humanitarian duties whenever and wherever needed.

The USS Wasp is currently (2012) building a homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, giving her ready access to the vast Atlantic waters. Her length is 843 ft (257 m), beam is 105 ft (32 m), and she has a draft of 27 ft (8.23 m). The Wasp is based on a relatively new, advanced hull design that maximizes the vessel's interior space, enhancing the spacious volume while remaining compact.

This eliminated the need for additional troops and hospital ships for the main fleet, while also providing fairly comfortable living quarters for the ship's base crew, her air wing and marines. During World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, U.S. offensive missions required various (and numerous) types of surface ships, including battleships, aircraft carriers, troop carriers, and landing craft. Support ships had to be close to unstable and dangerous coastlines to land their assault forces and were therefore placed within range of enemy artillery and air strikes. LHD ships now enable the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to conduct over-the-horizon attacks, reducing the likelihood of an attack on the Navy's greatest assets - ships and crews.

The concept also gives the Wasps an undisputed chance to land on the beach.

The Wasp class requires and is equipped with complex communications systems and advanced command and control systems for complex mission management of simultaneous air and sea operations. She also received powerful self-defense weapons as well as state-of-the-art electronics that together support the landing of U.S. Navy and Navy helicopters, landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles in the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). element. The Naval Detachment alone can accommodate up to 2,200 equipped combat-ready Marines.

The U.S. Navy is also asking its new LHD ships to incorporate improvements not seen on previous Tarawa-class LHA ships. While both classes use the same basic hull design and propulsion system, the Wasp has a larger well deck that allows her to carry 3 x LCAC, compared to only 1 x LCAC in the previous LHA series. Increased flight deck space and elevators to enable each elevator to carry more helicopters than the previous LHA class.

Other improvements to the LHA class include a large drive LSD/LPD style rear loading door and a longer, narrower docking shaft that can alternately accommodate up to 12 LCM 6, 6 LCM 8 or 2 LCU units. The USS Wasp can carry up to 2,860 square meters (30,800 square feet) of cargo, with an additional 1,858 square meters (20,000 square feet) dedicated to MEU vehicles. Depending on mission requirements, the Wasp has vehicle space for up to 5 x USMC M1 Abrams main battle tanks, 25 x AAVs, 8 x M198 towed howitzers, 68 x supply trucks and 12 additional support vehicles.

An internal monorail system is used to transport cargo from the various holds to the well deck as required.

The aircraft carrier USS Wasp was officially commissioned on August 4, 1987, and officially commissioned on July 29, 1989, and has been in service ever since. She was given the battle motto "Honor, Tradition, Excellence" and a patch of yellow and blue to represent that creed.

The patch also features a wasp silhouette, a nod to the ship's official name.

In February 2004, USS Wasp was deployed to Afghan waters with Marines carrying BLT 1/6 and HMM-266 Rein. After the Marines were unloaded, she returned to the United States to pick up more Marines from HMH-461 and brought them to Djibouti. After leaving Djibouti in August, the Wasp returned to Kuwait to pick up the Marines from HMM-266 Rein, who returned to Norfolk, Virginia in September 2004.

In July 2006, then-Vice President Dick Cheney boarded the aircraft carrier USS Wasp to deliver a speech recognizing the efforts of the USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Wasp was the main attraction at Fleet Week 2007 in New York City.

In September 2007, USS Wasp was deployed to Nicaragua on a humanitarian mission to help victims of Hurricane Felix.

The USS Wasp was the first ship to deploy a Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport helicopter in October 2007. These were taken to Iraqi waters in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 2009, the USS Wasp embarked on a three-month voyage along the Atlantic to Caribbean waters from its base at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, as part of the Americas Partnership. On USS Wasp, 1,100 sailors and 365 Marines participated in exercises in the U.S.

Fourth Fleet Area of ??Responsibility. Before returning to Norfolk in December 2009, she deployed the Marines to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba for a 90-day training program.

On June 29, 2010, USS Wasp was dispatched to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy.

Prior to October 2011, the Wasp was upgraded to receive the new Lockheed F-35B Lightning II for testing. A product of the Joint Strike Fighter program, the F-35B is a proposed Marine Corps variant with similar short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) qualities to the aging AV-8B Harrier II family. The F-35B is designed to replace the various roles aboard the Marine Corps' McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier and Grumman EA-6B Prowler series. The new aircraft will provide the Wasp with a fifth-generation multirole fighter designed to reduce maintenance costs and ensure the supremacy of the Marine Corps' tactical aircraft to protect national interests. As of this writing (2011), the F-35B has performed more than 250 vertical landings, including 72 vertical landings and short takeoffs from the deck of the USS Wasp alone.

The next sea trial, the DT-2, is scheduled for 2013 after Wasp receives additional modifications to operate the F-35B.

The Navy received new orders in January 2012 for upcoming budget cuts that will reduce the number of active ships. In response, this forced the relocation of naval resources from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The biggest concern right now is China's decision to increase its naval presence in the South China Sea. China has long-standing territorial disputes with several of its neighbors, including U.S. allies Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam all of which have repeatedly accused China of overt aggression in the region.

They are one of several countries claiming sovereignty over offshore islands, where they hope to have oil and gas deposits. US President Barack Obama has since ordered an increased US presence in the region and will then deploy a full naval task force in northern Australia.

In response to changing circumstances, USS Wasp may soon be reassigned to a new homeport on the US Pacific coast.

Currently, the USS Wasp is equipped with 2 x Sea Sparrow missile launchers, 2 x RAM launchers, 2 x Phalanx CIWS, 3 x 25mm Mk 38 series guns and multiple 12.7mm heavy machine guns. The wings they currently support include up to 12 x CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopters, 4 x CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters, 6 x AV08B Harrier II attack aircraft, 3 x UH-1N Huey transport helicopters, 4 x AH- 1Z Viper attack helicopter and several MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transports.

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