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 Amphibious Assault Ship|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. All Wasp-class ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi, with lead ship USS Wasp (LHD-01) commissioned on 29 July 1989. Eight Wasp-class ships were built, and as of 2013, all eight are active.

Specifications

 * Type: Amphibious Assault Ship (Hull designation symbol LHD)
 * Service Period: 1989-Present
 * Characteristics:
 * Length
 * Beam:
 * Draft:
 * Displacement:
 * Capacity:
 * Crew:
 * Propulsion:
 * Range:
 * Speed:
 * Sensor Suite:
 * Armament
 * 2 x Mk.29 Sea Sparrow Missile Launchers
 * 2 x Mk.49 Rolling Airframe Missile Launchers
 * 3 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS
 * 4 x Mk.38 25mm Chain guns
 * 4 x .50-caliber BMG machine guns

Unit Run

 * USS Wasp (LHD-01)
 * USS Essex (LHD-02)
 * USS Kearsarge (LHD-03)
 * USS Boxer (LHD-04)
 * USS Bataan (LHD-05)
 * USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-06)
 * USS Iwo Jima (LHD-07)
 * USS Makin Island (LHD-08)