[Jeff Head]

They are safer and more efective and efficient than the older ships. In a large watime scenario, they would operate in Marine Expeditionary Strike Groups where they are combined with other Amphibious vessles, escort vessels, etc.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Well,, unless my nephew gets out of the Marines in a year or two, I expect to see him on one of these ships.
I saw my nephew yesterday, he came back home this passed weekend from being overseas, and he was in Iraq for 5 months.
He was in the battle of Fallujah, and he got hit by 5 bullets while in this house one day.
The vest he was wearing stopped 4 bullets from piercing his chest, but, one bullet pierced his arm, but, didn't hit and bones or anything major and came back out.
He showed me his purple heart, his Iraq veteran service lapel badges on his Marine shirt, and I am sure they gave him the bigger Purple Heart metal in a case.
He also has a lapel badge on his shirt for National Defense, his rank lapel badge.
On his Arm, he has rank Lance Corp stripes.
He also has 2 other ( METAL ) metals on his shirt, I only know what one of them are, one of them is for MARKSMAN ( he also most got the sharpshooter award ).
I know, that our prayers, and the churches prayers for him, got him home back safe.
Once a Marine, always a Marine.
SEMPER FI !!!!