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 the type in service anywhere in the world. To the untrained eye they look identical to 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 airwing 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 such as the hovercraft LCAC. The Wasp class vessels are derived from the earlier Tarawa class.

• 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 (23.5 mph, 37 km/h)

• Aircraft: number carried varies depending on mission. Possible airwings include:
  • Assault: 42 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
  • Sea Control: 20 AV-8B Harrier attack planes; Six 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
  • USS 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).

• Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (Wasp)

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