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The USA’s America Class: Carrier Air + Amphibious Assault [LHA-R]

Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Eng. Control Systems, Expeditionary Warfare, FOCUS Articles, Forces - Marines, GE, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Policy - Doctrine, Policy - Procurement, Power Projection, R&D - Contracted, Raytheon, Surface Ships - Combat

Latest update (Feb 6/12)

FY 2010-2012 budgets; DOT&E report worries about survivability & design; LHA 7 moved back; Long-lead contract.

LHA-R
LHA-R/NAAS Concept
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Modern U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault Ships project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) / Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). LHA/LHD are a key element of the Seapower 21 doctrine pillars of Sea Strike and Sea Basing, transporting, launching, and landing elements of the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) via a combination of LCAC hovercraft, amphibious transports and vehicles, helicopters, and aircraft.

Designed to project power and maintain presence, LHA-Replacement (LHA-R, aka. LH-X and now the America Class) large deck amphibious assault ships will replace the LHA-1 Tarawa Class. They are based on the more modern LHD Wasp Class design, but initial ships will remove the LHD’s landing craft and well deck. While its LHA/LHD predecessors were amphibious assault ships with a secondary aviation element, it’s fair to describe the LHA-R (now New Amphibious Assault Ship) as escort carriers with a secondary amphibious assault role.

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