USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) is the third Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. She is the fifth ship to bear that name, but the fourth to serve under it, as the third was renamed Hornet (CV-12) before launching.
USS Kearsarge on June 20, 2004
A Landing Craft Air Cushion returns to the well deck
An AV-8B Harrier about to land on Kearsarge as an MV-22B Osprey prepares to launch
Kearsarge docked in Portsmouth, 2006
Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
The Wasp-class is a class of landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy. Based on the Tarawa class, with modifications to operate more advanced aircraft and landing craft, the Wasp-class is capable of transporting almost the full strength of a United States Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and landing them in hostile territory via landing craft or helicopters as well as providing air support via AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft or F-35B Lightning II stealth strike-fighters. All Wasp-class ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi, with the lead ship, USS Wasp, commissioned on 29 July 1989. Eight Wasp-class ships were built, and as of April 2021, seven are in active service, as USS Bonhomme Richard was seriously damaged by fire on 12 July 2020, and subsequently decommissioned in April 2021.
USS Wasp on 4 October 2007
Wasp, left, and Tarawa-class Saipan, in 1993.
USS Essex performing a stern gate mating with a landing craft
Air traffic control aboard the USS Wasp