131109-N-ZZ999-330 PASCAGOULA, Miss. (Nov. 9, 2013) – Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) America (LHA 6) returns to Huntington Ingalls Shipyard Nov. 9 after completing Builder’s Sea Trials. During the trials, the ship’s main propulsion, communications, steering, navigational and radar systems were tested for the first time at sea. America will be the first ship of its class, replacing the Tarawa class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation “big-deck” amphibious ship, America will be optimized for aviation, capable of supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and Joint Strike Fighter. The ship will provide flexible, multi-mission capabilities spanning from forward deployed crisis response to maritime security operations. The ship was christened on Oct. 20, 2012 and is currently undergoing construction in Pascagoula, Miss. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Lawrence Grove/Released)
The fourth U.S. warship to be named for the United States of America, 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… Read More »USS America (LHA-6), is an amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy and the lead ship of the America-class amphibious assault ship. http://dlvr.it/Sy9bjt
