OFF THE WIRE
Gary Robbins
America will be formally delivered to the Navy early next year and be used as the flagship for expeditionary strike groups and amphibious ready groups. HII/Navy
The Navy on
Saturday will christen America, an 844-foot amphibious assault ship that
will carry far more air power than similar vessels. The christening
will occur in Pascagoula, Miss., where the $2.4 billion vessel was
built. America will later shift to its homeport of San Diego, where it
will replace the Peleliu,
which joined the fleet 32 years ago. Huntington Ingalls Industries is
scheduled to deliver America to the Navy in February 2013, six months
later than expected.
Saturday's
christening represents a major design and technological shift for a
Navy vessel that supports Marine combat forces. Unlike other amphibious
assault ships, America won't have a well deck for landing craft. But the
"gator" will have greatly expanded aviation space to accommodate such
aircraft as the J-35B strike fighter, and the MV-22 Osprey, a tilt rotor
aircraft used to transport Marines. America, the first ship in its
class, can carry to to 1,700 Marines, and will have a crew of 1,060, the
Navy says.
The U.S. Naval Institute says that a typical "load out" for America would include:
- 10 - F-35B JSF Strike Fighters
- 12 - MV-22 Osprey VTOL Tilt-Rotor Assault Aircraft
- 08 - AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters
- 04 - CH-53E Super Stallion Assault Helicopters
- 04 - MH-60S Seahawk SAR Helicopters
The aircraft carrier America served from 1965-1996. US Navy, Associated Press
The new ship is
the fourth to carry the name America. The first was part of the
Continental Navy. The second was a troop transport in World War I. The
third (CV-66) was a 1,038-foot Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier that
was in service from 1965 to 1996. CV-66 was homeported in Norfolk,
Virginia, and was once a workhorse for the Navy, doing three deployments
to Vietnam. The ship also participated in operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm.