As the geopolitical landscape evolves and tensions continue to simmer, the U.S. Navy has underscored the strategic significance of its amphibious assault ships. The Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) and Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) vessels, often touted as America’s mini aircraft carriers, are asserting their roles in the dynamic fabric of naval warfare.

These ships, notably the America-class LHA, successors to the Tarawa class and derivatives of the USS Makin Island, are engineered to deploy Marine Expeditionary Units using advanced aircraft like the MV-22B Osprey and F-35 Lightning II. These capabilities enable the Navy to carry out operations further from shore, enhancing protection against modern anti-ship missile threats.

The America-class ships, owing to their lack of a traditional well deck, boast increased space for aircraft, fuel, and armaments. They are equipped with an arsenal of twin .50-cal machine guns and Phalanx CIWS for close-in defense. With these assets, the Navy remains primed for conflict, offering formidable force projection and versatile forcible-entry options against adversaries.

In an era where naval warfare is constantly evolving, the America-class and Wasp-class LHDs offer a hybrid capability that may tip the scales in the U.S. Navy’s favor.

These vessels are well-equipped for both air and sea landing operations, with facilities for helicopters, hovercraft, and Harrier jets, as well as sophisticated electronic warfare and missile defense systems.

The strategic shift towards amphibs has been evident in various operations, such as the 2016 U.S. air campaign against Daesh in Libya, where the USS Wasp functioned as a de facto aircraft carrier.

The adaptability of the LHDs to serve as light aircraft carriers is particularly valuable given the operational demands placed on the Navy’s supercarrier force.

With the overstretched resources of nuclear supercarriers, the LHDs are increasingly relied upon to cover gaps and to provide a more measured response to low-intensity conflicts.

The Wasp-class, for instance, with an air wing of about 30 Marine Corps fixed- and rotary-wing assets, exemplifies a small-deck carrier. This compact, yet potent, the air wing is capable of handling insurgent threats, which are often limited to rudimentary weapons systems.

The Navy’s amphibs play a crucial role beyond combat operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The ability of these ships to carry a battalion of U.S. Marines and deploy them ashore is a function that supercarriers do not possess, making LHDs invaluable for missions that fall below the threshold of high-end warfare.

Furthermore, the LHDs’ versatility was highlighted during Odyssey Lightning, when territorial independence allowed Harriers from the USS Wasp to commence air strikes without host-nation restrictions—a stark advantage over land-based operations.

As tensions escalate in key maritime regions, the America-class amphibious assault ships, including the USS America, USS Tripoli, and USS Bougainville, with their advanced capabilities, are vital to U.S. maritime strategy.

These ships, with their state-of-the-art countermeasures and armaments, are instrumental in the Navy’s preparedness for potential conflicts.

Looking ahead, the integration of the fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II into the Marine Corps signals a further enhancement of the Navy’s LHDs as true light carriers.

As challenges on the high seas grow, these mighty mini-carriers of the U.S. Navy are set to play an increasingly prominent role in defending national interests and maintaining global stability.

Relevant articles:
– U.S. Navy Assault Ships: America’s Mini Aircraft Carriers?, The National Interest
– The Utility of the US Navy’s Amphibious Assault Ships as Small-Deck Carriers, Royal United Services Institute
– Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (.mil)
– Mini-Aircraft Carriers: The Navy’s America-Class Assault Ships are Breathtaking, The National Interest