America-class amphibious assault ship
The America class is a ship class of landing helicopter assault (LHA) type amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy (USN). The class is designed to put ashore a Marine Expeditionary Unit using helicopters and MV-22B Osprey V/STOL transport aircraft, supported by AV-8B Harrier II or F-35 Lightning II V/STOL aircraft and various attack helicopters. The first of these warships was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 2014 to replace USS Peleliu of the Tarawa class; as many as eleven will be built. The design of the America class is based on that of USS Makin Island, the last ship of the Wasp class, but the "Flight 0" ships of the America class will not have well decks, and have smaller on-board hospitals to provide more space for aviation uses.
USS America (LHA-6) sailing in 2018.
Profile view of USS America off Pascagoula on 9 November 2013
USMC Lockheed F-35Bs aboard USS America on 8 October 2019
USS Tripoli underway on 15 July 2019
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory during an amphibious assault. The design evolved from aircraft carriers converted for use as helicopter carriers. Modern designs support amphibious landing craft, with most designs including a well deck. Like the aircraft carriers they were developed from, some amphibious assault ships also support V/STOL fixed-wing aircraft and have a secondary role as aircraft carriers.
Well deck of USS Iwo Jima seen from a deployed landing craft
Akitsu Maru of the Imperial Japanese Army
HMS Ocean, a light aircraft carrier seen in 1952, before its conversion into the role of an amphibious assault ship carrying helicopters
An AV-8 Harrier and CH-53 aboard USS Nassau