USS AMERICA, (PCU) LHA-6
Posted on 05/23/2012 10:56:53 AM PDT by Jeff Head
The USS America, (PCU), LHA-6, the United States Navy's newest Amphibious/Air Assault and Sea Control Carrier nears completion in Mississippi.
She's 45,000 tons of US Navy fighting machine. Can carry up to two thousand Marines and the vehicles and wepaonry to support them, including transport helos, attack helos, and air support Harriers or later, F-35B Joint Strike Fighters.
She can also be outfitted for pure sea control duties and operate as a modern "Jeep" Carrier, with 24 or so Strike Fighters, and support helicopters.
Is the America nuclear powered or conventional?
The new America will be a potent force equipped as you suggest!
Any idea the answer to the earlier question? Why doesn't she have a top speed in the 30's?
Yep I sure miss the old gal. I had a memorable four year ride on her.
Propulsion: Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors.
too bad. Nukes don't need to be refueled very often. :-(
I’m gonna be down in P’goula in a couple of weeks. I’ll have to see if I can see this vessel at the shipyard!
Served onboard the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) 1991-1995.
I recently spent a fascinating day on the USS Midway museum in San Diego. It was quite a treat for a landlubber like me. They are doing a great job with that ship.
Is there an ‘artist’s conception’ of this ship anywhere? I’d love to see how it’s supposed to look, when it’s all done.
Designation: LHA(R)
Displacement: 45,000 t
Length: 844 feet (257.3 meters)
Beam: 106 feet (32.3 meters)
Elevators: 2
Speed: 24 knots
Propulsion:
- 2 x GE LM 2500+ gas turbines
- 2 x shafts
Crew: - 1060 crew
- 1700 Troops
Aircraft (Normal):
- 8 F-35B JSF
- 12 MV-22 Osprey
- 4 CH-53K Chinook
- 4 MH60 Nighthawk
- 4 AH-1W Supercobra
Aircraft (Sea Control):
- 20 F-35B JSF
- 4 SH-60 SeaHawk
- 4 Other helo/vtol
Armament:
- 2 x RAM (42 missiles)
- 2 x ESSM (16 missiles)
- 2 x 20mm CIWS
- 3 × 25 mm Mk 38 cannons
- 6 x .50 cal MGs
Ships in class: 1
The LHA(R) America Class will bes the largest amphibious assault vessels ever built. Displacing over 45,000 tons when fully loaded, the vessels are larger than most other nations aircraft carriers, which they closely resemble. These amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support the US Marines Aviation Combat Element (ACE) philosophy including assault from the sea against defended positions ashore and Sea Control Air operations using enhanced numbers of strike fighters.
This ship is powered by two gas turbine engines. This is not a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and in no way could match the speed of the larger nuclear powered carriers such as the Enterprise. The Enterprise is advertised as a 30+ knot top speed carrier, but there is evidence that it is about double that.
“Is there an ‘artist’s conception’ of this ship anywhere?”
Go to the source link
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/america.htm
MWCS 28...Semper Fi
No one had too tell us we were running flank you could feel and hear it especially on the second deck. Usually underway unless you were down in number one pump room in the bow you would not feel the rise and fall. You'd only notice port to starboard listings. At Flank you'd feel the ship going up and down.
My last trip back from the MED we were flat out hauling. It's been 33 years but IIRC there were concerns about us getting across and ahead of a major storm {hurricane} well too our south. I remember because even though we were a long ways from it we were in some very rough seas. We were also tossing everything not bolted down over the side. Two reasons for that. One was the storm the other was we were scheduled to head into a year long overhaul and they wanted as much stuff off the ship as possible for that.
The new America does have a much lower speed. But the speed gets the job done. If you want to drive from NYC to LA fast you want a fast car. If you want to haul freight or equipment from NYC to LA it takes a truck. Slower speeds but it will get there. The old LST troop and amphib equipment haulers {Tank Landers} did much less than that somewhere like 14 knots and they served us through Nam.
The USS America
Carrier Veteran’s Assoc.
REUNION 2012
September 11 – 15, 2012
Baton Rouge, LA.
The USS America class is similar in size to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
America-class amphibious assault ship:
Displacement = 45,000 tons
Length = 844 feet
Beam = 106 feet
French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle:
Displacement = 42,000 tons
Length = 858 feet
Beam = 211 feet
Thank for the report cva66snipe. Confirms what my buddy told me years ago.
The 1st new Ford Class carrier, the USS Ford, CVN-78 is now (as of April) 75% structurally complete and due to launch in 2013 and commission in 2015. The second, CVN-79, USS John F. Kennedy, started building last year.
She deserves a seperate thread and as she gets closer I will post one.
We'll be down to ten carrier groups until she is launched and commissioned (which will take 18-24 months) and then be back at eleven groups by 2015.
She is conventionally powered. Two GE LM 2500+ gas turbines.
Thanks to all posters, linkers, researchers, educators, veterans. Informative & educational. Thanks to all who have served. America’s finest BUMP!
Not necessary for her flamnk speed to be that high. She’s listed at 24 knots which means she can probably do close to 30 in a pinch for short periods. But she will be in a Phibron group and constrained by the speed of the other troop carriers and support vessels.
Hey do! If you get some good pics, upload them and put them in this thread...that would be GREAT!
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