USS America (LHA-6)

USS America (LHA-6)

PCU America (LHA-6), the fourth American warship to be named for the United States of America, will be the first of the America-class amphibious assault ships for the U.S. Navy. She will be delivered in 2013, replacing USS Peleliu (LHA-5) 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.

Her design is based on USS Makin Island (LHD-8) but with no well deck and smaller medical spaces to allow more room for aviation facilities. With a displacement of 45,000 tons she is as big as the aircraft carriers of other nations, and can fulfill similar missions when configured with 20 F-35B strike fighters.