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Amphibious assault ship

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

A U.S. Navy ship, USS Iwo Jima, participating in humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Irma in the Atlantic Ocean.

An amphibious assault ship (AAS) is a special kind of amphibious warfare ship made for helping soldiers move onto land near the sea during armed conflict. These ships can launch soldiers from the sea or drop them from the air, and they can also give air support and supplies to troops that have already landed.

The well deck of USS Iwo Jima seen from a deployed landing craft

These ships started from old aircraft carriers that were changed to carry helicopters instead of regular airplanes. Some newer ones, like those from China, can even help small airplanes take off. Most of these ships carry small boats that can bring soldiers and vehicles right onto the beach.

Unlike regular airplane carriers, amphibious assault ships mainly use helicopters and other special airplanes to help soldiers land and give support. Some can also help protect the sea area for other ships. The biggest group of these ships is used by the United States Navy, but many other countries like France, Italy, and Spain also have them. These ships are very important for moving soldiers and giving them the help they need during battles far from home.

History

World War II

During World War II in the Pacific theater, small aircraft carriers called escort carriers helped protect ships carrying soldiers and flew the first attacks on beach defenses during landings. Sometimes they also helped larger carriers by acting as extra landing spots and giving cover while the big carriers got ready.

The Akitsu Maru of the Imperial Japanese Army

The Imperial Japanese Army had its own special ships called "landing craft carriers" made just for moving soldiers and small boats to land near beaches. The first of these was Shinshū Maru, finished in 1934. It could lower small boats into the water and even carry planes, though it never used them in battle. Japan made a few more ships like this, but by the time they were finished, Japan was losing the war and didn't use them much.

Main article: Landing craft carrier

In 1937, people from Britain and America saw Shinshū Maru near Shanghai and realized it was a big step forward in how soldiers could land on beaches. This ship could let small boats float out the back, hold more boats on special lifts, and even drop cars directly onto a pier. It had parts to launch planes but didn’t carry any ready to fly.

Post-World War II

HMS Ocean, a light aircraft carrier seen in 1952, before its conversion into the role of an amphibious assault ship carrying helicopters

Even after World War II, landing soldiers on beaches was still hard because not all coastlines were easy to use. The invention of the helicopter changed everything. In 1956, during a conflict called the Suez War, helicopters were used for the first time to drop soldiers from ships onto land. Two British ships, Ocean and Theseus, were changed to carry helicopters for this purpose.

American forces used helicopters more during the Vietnam War, and kept improving these methods. Today, soldiers can land almost anywhere along a coast, making it very hard for enemies to stop them.

Many early ships used for these landings were turned into special helicopter carriers. The United States tested using aircraft carriers for dropping soldiers from the air in the 1950s. They changed several big carriers into helicopter carriers, which helped until new ships designed just for this job were built between 1959 and 1970.

Later, new ships were built specifically for landing operations. The United States made the Tarawa class and the Wasp class of ships starting in the late 1970s and 1989. The first of a new type called the America-class began service in 2014.

An AV-8 Harrier and CH-53 aboard USS Nassau

The first ship built just for this job by Britain was HMS Ocean, put into service in 1998. Other countries like France, South Korea, and Spain also have these kinds of ships. Australia and Turkey have ships based on Spain’s design.

Most modern ships for landing soldiers have a special area called a well deck. This lets them launch small boats even in rough water. Different ships have different places for planes: some have just a helicopter landing spot, some have a room to keep planes, and others have a full flight deck with rooms below for both spinning and fixed-wing planes.

Design

Amphibious assault ships look similar to aircraft carriers because they evolved from them. They have a special flight deck for helicopters that help carry troops and supplies. Some of these ships can also launch and bring back special airplanes like Harrier "jump jet"s or F-35Bs to give support during landings.

Juan Carlos I of the Spanish Navy with McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft

Other airplanes, like the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, could take off and land short distances without special equipment. Ships also carry small boats for landings, either on the deck using davits or inside a special well dock.

List of types

An example of a LHA: America class

Images

A Chinese naval ship, the PLANS Hainan, docked at a port in Hong Kong.

Related articles

Aircraft carrier
China
United States Navy
Pacific War
Vietnam War

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