One of the US Navy innovations is the next generation light aircraft carrier, the Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) strategy center. On these ships are units that could launch various forces, especially a group of marines working in tandem with naval aircraft on missions.
Light aircraft carriers are mobile marine bases on the go!
Compared to a carrier strike group (CSG), the Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) can go anywhere or any place they are needed. These light carriers are landing helicopter assault (LHA) or landing helicopter dock (LHD) that can carry helicopters as they have now. An added extra is an emphasis on the US Marines corps on board the small flat top.
The Tarawa and Wasp Class LHDs give the Marine Corps access to assault targets from the deck with helicopters/ landing craft to get them to the shore and back to ship. The US Navy has used LHDs from combat missions to assisting humanitarian missions.
Several light helicopter decks are in service with the US Navy; they are the USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Bataan (LHD 5), USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) USS Makin Island (LHD 8) (Tarawa Class) USS Peleliu (LHA 5) in service. Recently the Bonhomme Richard was razed by a fire that left the ship unsalvageable after the blaze, and it was burned to the hull.
LHD-8 Makin Island one more step to a light aircraft carrier
One of the first amphibious assault ships is the first to use gas turbines and steam boilers for moving the ship. It uses an Auxiliary Propulsion System (APS) driven by electric motors to push the ship's propellers, which is more efficient than gas turbines. The APS can be used about 75% of the time it is sailing.
US Navy Sends the USS Makin Island, Marine F-35s to the Persian Gulf
Using electric motors for sailing will be less expensive than using gas turbines most of the time. It saves fuel and adds more range to the ship when in operations, with $250 million saved from using gas turbines.
One of the advantages of Makin Island's propeller system is that it can switch from electric to gas when needed automatically. The machinery control system can be accessed from several areas on the LHD.
USS America LHA-6
The new helicopter carrier has the better propeller system of Makin Island, built-in, with some significant changes to the Light Helicopter Deck and Light Helicopter Assault class.
Changes will be a larger flight deck for landing and launching aircraft and expanding operations. There will be more facilities for aviators, more fuel storage for planes, and no more well-deck. The well-deck is found in other LHDs that watercraft for the Marine Corps.
Amphibious ships' primary function is to support the marines in bringing them into a conflict zone and facing the enemy, one on one and win. The first LHD and later the LHA has a bigger deck for the F-35 fighter, and the MV-22 Osprey are big changes that make the light aircraft carriers.
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