USS America (LHA-6) Aircraft Carrier

USS America (LHA-6), the fourth American warship to be named for the United States of America, is the first of the America-class amphibious assault ships for the U.S. Navy. She was delivered in spring of 2014, replacing Peleliu of the Tarawa class. Her mission is to act as the flagship of an expeditionary strike group or amphibious ready group, carrying part of a Marine expeditionary unit into battle and putting them ashore with helicopters and V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, supported by F-35B Lightning II aircraft and helicopter gunships.

The USS America (LHA-6) aircraft carrier design is based on USS Makin Island, but to allow more room for aviation facilities she does not have a well deck, and has smaller medical spaces. With a displacement of 45,000 tons, she is as large as the aircraft carriers of many other nations, and can fulfill similar missions when configured with 20 F-35B strike fighters.

USS America (LHA-6) was commissioned on 11 October 2014 in San Francisco as part of the activities of San Francisco Fleet Week 2014. The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus was the featured speaker. More details