Monday, April 1, 2019

U.S. Marines Are Considering Transforming Amphibious Ships Into Light Aircraft Carriers

An F-35B Lightning II aircraft takes off from the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1). US Navy Photo

David Axe, National Interest: Light Aircraft Carriers: The U.S. Marines Might Have More F-35s Fighting from the Sea

The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in March 2019 deployed to the Indo-Pacific region with no fewer than 10 F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters on board. An assault ship usually embarks just six F-35s or older AV-8B Harrier jump jets. In sailing with nearly twice as many vertical-landing fighters than is normal for an assault ship, Wasp is helping to prove a concept the Marine Corps seriously has been mulling over for years now -- transforming amphibious ships into light aircraft carriers.

The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in March 2019 deployed to the Indo-Pacific region with no fewer than 10 F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters on board. An assault ship usually embarks just six F-35s or older AV-8B Harrier jump jets.

In sailing with nearly twice as many vertical-landing fighters than is normal for an assault ship, Wasp is helping to prove a concept the Marine Corps seriously has been mulling over for years now -- transforming amphibious ships into light aircraft carriers.

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WNU Editor: The sentiment in the Pentagon is to limit the number of super-carriers, so maybe the thinking is that they may accept a lot more "smaller carriers" as an alternative.

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