Amphibious Assault Ships

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Amphibious Vehicles
Landing Craft
USS Bataan

An amphibious assault ship (also referred to as an amphibious assault carrier or commando carrier) is a type of helicopter carrier and sometimes STOL/VTOL aircraft carrier employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault. While often resembling aircraft carriers, the role of an amphibious assault ship is fundamentally different: its aviation facilities have the primary role of hosting helicopters to support forces ashore rather than to support strike aircraft.

Due to their aircraft carrier heritage, all amphibious assault ships resemble aircraft carriers in design. The flight deck is used to operate helicopters for landing troops and supplies and Harrier Jump Jets to provide air support to landing operations. STOL aircraft such as the OV-10 were sometimes deployed on and were able to perform short takeoffs and landings on large deck amphibious assault ships without needing catapults or arresting wires, although for safety and clearance reasons the latter was most often not permitted. Landing craft are also carried, either on deck-mounted davits, or in an internal well deck.

Amphibious warfare ships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. Amphibious assault ships transport elements of the landing force ashore using conventional landing craft, air-cushion landing craft, short-takeoff aircraft, and helicopters in support of amphibious landings. Amphibious transport docks carry and land marines with their equipment by embarked landing craft or amphibious vehicles augmented by helicopters. Dock landing ships transport and launch a variety of loaded amphibious craft and provide limited docking and repair services to small ships. Amphibious cargo ships carry heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious operations.

The largest fleet of these types is operated by the United States Navy, including the Tarawa class dating back to the 1970s and the larger Wasp class ships that debuted in 1989.

Tarawa Class

The Tarawa class amphibious assault ships are in service with the United States Navy, and formed the basis for the later Wasp class. The Tarawa class can be distinguished from the Wasp class by the presence of bow sponsons. The Tarawa type has bow sponsons (originally for 5-inch (127 mm) Mk 45 lightweight guns), while the Wasp does not.

Wasp Class

The Wasp class amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy are designed to land forces on hostile shores, and they are the largest vessels of this type in service anywhere in the world.

The Wasp class has an air group of helicopters that are used to ferry Marines and equipment to the shore from the ships. These helicopters are supplemented by a squadron of up to eight AV-8B Harrier II V/STOL ground-attack aircraft. Up to 20 Harriers can be embarked when the ship is used as a temporary STOVL or "Harrier Carrier." They also possess a well-deck for launching smaller landing craft, up to three Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft or Landing Craft Utility (LCUs).