LHA-6 class amphibious assault ship

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This article contains information about an as-yet unfinished ship.

It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final version of the ship.

External images
	Artist’s concept of LHA-6 ^[1]

The LHA-6 class of amphibious assault ships is planned to replace the Tarawa class. Based on the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), the LHA-6 will be a gas-turbine powered ship supporting a Marine Expeditionary Brigade with launch capacity V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor planes, helicopters, and F-35B V/STOL strike fighters.

To increase the number of aircraft supported on board, it will remove the well deck used to house landing craft in previous U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships, and increase the hangar space. Formerly known as the LHA(R), the first ship is due to be delivered in 2013. At displacement of 50,000 tons and carrying a complement of strike fighters, it can serve in the small carrier role, as demonstrated by LHD operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The typical aircraft complement for the LHA-6 is expected to be as follows: 12 V-22 Ospreys, 8 AH-1 SuperCobras, 10 F-35Bs, 4 CH-53Ks and 4 Navy MH-60S "Knight Hawks". The exact makeup of the ship's aircraft complement will vary according to its mission.