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Naval Technology - LHD Wasp Class - Amphibious Assault Ships |
 | | LHDs (Landing Helicopter Deck) embark, transport, deploy, command and fully support all elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of 2,000 Marines, inserting forces ashore via helicopters, landing craft and amphibious vehicles. |
 | | The other ships of the class are: USS Essex (LHD 2) commissioned in October 1992; USS Kearsage (LHD 3) October 1993; USS Boxer (LHD 4) February 1995; USS Batan (LHD 5) September 1997; USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Aug 1998 and USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) June 2001. |
 | | In July 2005, Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract for the development of the LHA 6 amphibious assault ship, which will be a variant of the LHD 8 with the capability to support the F-35B STOVL joint strike fighter and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. |
| www.naval-technology.com /projects/wasp (1078 words) |