Tag Archives: LHA F-35

119,000-ton unofficial carrier four-pack

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So the recent biannual Talisman Saber 2023 exercise had a supercarrier in attendance, at least partially: the forward-deployed (to Japan) Nimitz-class USS Ronald Reagan and her strike group.

However, it also had four “other” non-carrier flattops on hand as well: the 27,000-ton Australian Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ship HMAS Adelaide (L01), the 45,000-ton amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), the 27,000-ton Japanese “helicopter destroyer” JS Izumo (DDH 183), and the 20,000-ton Korean Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH 6112).

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Thomas B. Contant)

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Thomas B. Contant)

Three of the four are at least theoretically capable of operating STOVL F-35Bs as “Lightning Carriers”— and indeed, America had a detachment of Marine Lightning Bugs embarked– while the Koreans have been brainstorming running the aircraft from the Dokdo-class.

Sure, it is soft airpower as it would be hard for this quartet, even if fully loaded with all the F-35s they could park, to replicate the “throw weight” of a fully-loaded CVN. However, it is more underway airpower than Japan, South Korea, and Australia had a decade ago.

And the pictures of the complete formation are pretty sweet.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Thomas B. Contant)

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Thomas B. Contant)

Official caption (emphasis mine)

CORAL SEA (July 29, 2023) The forward-deployed amphibious assault carrier USS America (LHA 6), sails in formation with the Royal Australian Navy Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ship HMAS Adelaide (L01), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183), Republic of Korea Navy amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH 6112), amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20), amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules (L100), Republic of Korea Navy destroyer ROKS Munmu The Great (DDH 976), guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), dry cargo ship USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force tank landing ship, JS Shimokita (LST 4002), Royal Australian Navy replenishment oiler HMAS Stalwart (A304) and fleet replenishment oiler USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199) during a formation steaming exercise, as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre, July 29. America, the lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns.

USN Flattop Updates

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The Navy has seen several important carrier and carrier-adjacent benchmarks this week that I thought were noteworthy enough to mention “in case you missed it.”

Lightning Carrier No.4

The fourth Wasp-class Gator Supreme, USS Boxer (LHD-4) returned to sea for the first time in more than two years after completing an extensive $207 million planned maintenance availability at BAE Systems in San Diego.

She is now about to be F-35B rated as a “Lightning Carrier” by 2023. Her sisterships USS Wasp, Essex, and Makin Island already have the same capability and Iwo Jima and Bataan are set to be added to the list in 2024-25.

By themselves, the four modded Wasps offer more carrier power than any other current fleet of flattops in the world not flying a U.S. flag.

“The USS Boxer [dry-dock availability] will complete a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of the following systems: Hull structure, propulsion, electrical plant, auxiliary systems, and communications and combat systems, as well as alterations to prepare the ship for operations with the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF),” according to a statement from Naval Sea Systems command in 2020.

Importantly, Boxer will also be the first Wasp to the Marine Corps to receive a complete F-35 set up for Spot 9 landings.

Boxer is a sweet spot for me, as I was working at Ingalls and am a constructor plankowner of the ship, having gone out on her pre-commissioning cruise before she was handed over. Nice to see her back in the fleet.

Warship78 passes INSURV

Class leader supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) successfully completed her five-day Board of Inspection and Survey special trial, “marking the first time a Ford-class ship executed an inspection of this kind.” Of course, she was commissioned five years ago, so it’s kinda about time, but between weapon elevator issues, EMALS and so many other new systems, it is understandable, and the inspection sets the ship up for her “special deployment” which is just around the corner.

“During INSURV, more than 180 inspectors embarked Ford, observing and assessing more than 300 demonstrations,” noted the Navy.

Damage Controlman Fireman Melissa Alvarado, right, from Dalton, Georgia, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) engineering department, displays equipment during a damage control Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) special trials, June 13, 2022. Ford is in port at Naval Station Norfolk conducting an INSURV assessment to report ship readiness and ensure all spaces and equipment meet Navy standards. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex Timewell)

80K for GHWB

USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), the tenth and final Nimitz-class supercarrier, celebrated the milestone of 80,000 catapult launches and 80,000 recoveries on the flight deck since she was commissioned in 2009. The 80K bird was an EA-18G Growler from The Patriots of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140 on the trap and the cat was an E-2D Hawkeye from The Bluetails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, and was part of the certification for the Freedom Fighters of CVW-7.

220615-N-SY758-3033 ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 15, 2022) An E/A-18G Growler, attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) for the 80,000th recovery, June 15, 2022. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Roberson)

Goodbye ‘Harrier Carrier, welcome to ‘Lightning Carriers’ (CV-Ls)

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Tyler Rogoway has an interesting write up on the USMC/USN’s take on using Marine F-35s on the new class of 40,000-ton LHAs, which are basically the same size as WWII fleet carriers.

Under the “lightning carrier” plan, 40 sorties can be fielded in a 14-hour period with 16 F-35Bs from the deck of one of these ersatz flattops, which is arguably more than just about any other carrier afloat not already in U.S. service. Plus, things really get interesting if you add an F-35 tasked LHA to an existing amphibious strike group, bringing both a full Marine expeditionary unit coupled with a baby carrier to the littoral.

From Rogoway:

Some concepts exist where a pair of amphibious assault ships work together within a single, albeit larger, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). One carrying a couple dozen F-35Bs and the other carrying a few dozen helicopters. Such a concept would allow for a continuous F-35B presence over the battlefield, and would even allow for the ESG to mount fixed wing “alpha strikes,” where the majority of the F-35B force prosecutes a set of strategic enemy targets during a single mission, much like a Navy carrier air wing currently is capable of.