logo
The USS Tripoli, the Navy's newest F-35 'lightning carrier,' is headed to the Indo-Pacific, bolstering US air power near China

The USS Tripoli, the Navy's newest F-35 'lightning carrier,' is headed to the Indo-Pacific, bolstering US air power near China

Yahoo28-02-2025

The US Navy forward-deployed the USS Tripoli to the Indo-Pacific to counter China.
It replaces USS America as the Navy's amphibious assault ship based in Japan.
The Tripoli played a central role in the F-35B 'lightning carrier' concept.
The US Navy is stationing its new "lightning carrier" in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing military influence.
America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli will replace the first-in-class USS America at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, as the forward-deployed amphibious flattop in the region.
Both the Tripoli and the America operate as mini flattops, carrying fixed-wing and rotary aircraft flown by Marine and Navy aviators, such as MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotors, MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters, and F-35B stealth jets.
The Tripoli has been central to the Navy's experimental "lightning carrier" concept, demonstrating its flexibility to fulfill some of the missions of the much larger carrier air wings on aircraft carriers.
During its maiden deployment in 2022, the Tripoli carried 20 F-35B stealth fighters on board — the most F-35B jump-jets ever aboard a big-deck amphibious ship.
Named after the first recorded land battle fought by the US overseas
In May 2012, Huntington Ingalls Industries was awarded the contract to build USS Tripoli, and the warship launched five years later in 2017 from Pascagoula, Mississippi.
It is the third vessel to bear the Tripoli name, a tribute to the first recorded land battle the US fought overseas when Marines landed on Tripoli's shores in 1805.
Initially planned to join the Navy's fleet a year behind schedule in 2019, the Tripoli's commissioning was pushed to 2020 due to "unspecified technical difficulties" and delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second-in-class assault ship
The Tripoli is the second America-class amphibious assault ship delivered to the US Navy. The 45,000-ton vessel measures 844 feet in length and 106 feet in width, similar in size to its predecessor, the Wasp-class amphibious warships.
Powered by two marine gas turbines, the warship has a speed of 22 knots or about 25 mph. The assault carrier is armed with surface-to-air missile systems, two automated gun-based close-in weapon systems, and seven heavy twin machine guns.
Prioritizing aviation capabilities
The America-class fleet was designed to prioritize aviation capabilities and lacks a well deck to launch amphibious craft.
In its place, the assault carriers have an extended hangar deck and wider high bay areas, which allow more room for aircraft and aviation fuel. The ships also have two aircraft elevators and additional space for aviation maintenance facilities.
The Tripoli's flight deck can accommodate up to nine CH-53K King Stallion heavy transport helicopters flown by Marines. In a standard configuration, the Tripoli can carry up to 10 F-35B fighters, 12 Ospreys, and 16 military helicopters.
Amphibious warships typically operate as helicopter carriers designed to support near-shore operations. The America-class vessels, however, were modified with a more durable, heat-resistant flight deck to launch F-35B stealth fighters.
The 'Lightning carrier' concept
Taking its aviation capabilities even further, the US Navy used the Tripoli to test the "lightning carrier" concept, tasking the amphibious assault ship to function as a full-fledged carrier.
In 2022, the Tripoli departed its homeport in San Diego for the Western Pacific, spending the first few months of its seven-month maiden deployment putting the experimental concept to the test.
The assault carrier carried 20 F-35B stealth fighters on board — the most ever loaded aboard a big-deck warship.
"We refer to the ship as 'assault carrier 7,' and 'assault' is traditional for an LHD and LHA," Capt. Joel Lang, then-commander of the Tripoli, told reporters at the time. "Typically, the air combat element is a blend of rotary and tilt-rotor in order to enable that assault force to go ashore. We are proving the tactics and the techniques and the procedures to employ the 'lightning carrier' concept."
Produced by US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the fighter jet has a stealth design to vastly reduce its ability to be tracked by radar and is touted as one of the world's most advanced fighters. The F-35B variant has a powerful propulsion system that gives it the unique capability of vertical takeoff and landing.
Developed by Rolls-Royce, the lift fan delivers an additional 20,000 pounds of thrust on top of the aircraft's engine thrust, allowing it to land and take-off like a helicopter.
The F-35B allows Marine aviators to operate aboard smaller flattops and makeshift airstrips, especially on expeditionary missions. With far more advanced capabilities and avionics, the F-35B is set to replace the US military's only other STOVL fighter jet, the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier, which is expected to retire by 2027.
Strengthening US air power in the Indo-Pacific
While the Navy doesn't intend on substituting full-fledged carriers with "lightning carriers," operating smaller flattops bolsters the fleet's air power — at a much lower cost.
An America-class assault ship costs about $3.4 billion, nearly a quarter of the cost to manufacture a new Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, which costs around $13 billion, though the latter possesses more advanced capabilities and carries over 60 aircraft.
"One day, you can have F-35Bs on the flight deck; the next day, you could have MV-22s, and you can be putting Marines ashore," Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, then-commander of the US 7th Fleet, said following the concept testing. "And so it just is a very versatile instrument."
The "lightning carrier" concept could play a larger role in deterring China, which now has the world's largest navy.
Despite still being in the experimentation phase, Thomas said he believes that an assault carrier carrying 14 F-35Bs is "much more capable" than either of China's operational aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, "both from a sortie-creation perspective as well as just a sheer capability."
Last December, China unveiled its own massive assault ship, the Sichuan, which can launch fighter jets or drones. The first Yulan-class landing helicopter assault ship has a flight deck as large as three football fields, about as long as the US Navy's America-class LHAs but 60 feet wider. China, however, does not have a carrier-based stealth fighter yet.
Expanding the Navy's amphibious fleet
Recognizing the operational flexibility of assault warships, the Navy aims to expand its amphibious fleet to at least 31 vessels — 10 of which must be big-deck LHAs.
Two more America-class LHAs — USS Bougainville and USS Fallujah — are currently being built at HII's Mississippi shipyard. The fifth-in-class USS Helmand Province was named last May and has yet to start construction.
Last May, HII was awarded a $9.6 billion contract to ramp up construction on the Navy's amphibious fleet. The deal includes the construction of three San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks and the next America-class big-deck ship.
"Upgrading our fleet with amphibious combat vehicles capable of supporting sea denial and maritime operations will further bolster our ability to support deterrence efforts and respond to contingencies in the Indo-Pacific," Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in a statement.
Read the original article on Business Insider

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Crew of USS Oscar Austin awarded Combat Action Ribbons for Red Sea deployment
Crew of USS Oscar Austin awarded Combat Action Ribbons for Red Sea deployment

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Crew of USS Oscar Austin awarded Combat Action Ribbons for Red Sea deployment

The USS Oscar Austin played a pivotal role as Houthi rebels fired hundreds of rockets and drones towards U.S. ships in the Red Sea this spring. Now, members of its crew from that fight will wear Combat Action Ribbons on their uniforms, the Navy announced Tuesday. The crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer were awarded a Unit Combat Action Ribbon Tuesday upon the ship's arrival at Naval Station Rota, Spain. As a result, all members of the crew who were aboard will be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon on their uniforms. Commonly called a CAR, the ribbon can be a major source of pride among servicemembers, especially in an era where deploying to active combat is less likely than in previous decades. Oscar Austin, one of the Navy's newest ships, departed Norfolk, Virginia, Sept. 30, 2024, where it had been homeported since the ship was commissioned in 2000. In October, it pulled into its new home, Naval Station Rota, Spain, where it is now assigned to the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet, headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. As part of the USS Harry S. Truman strike group, the ship sailed into the Red Sea in April. There, the Austin provided air defense against rockets and missile attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. On April 27, U.S. Central Command announced it had been conducting 'an intense and sustained campaign' targeting the Houthis since mid-March called Operation Rough Rider. Officials said they were 'intentionally' limiting details of the ongoing or future attacks but said they targeted command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities and weapons storage facilities with drones, ballistic and cruise missiles. While operating in the Red Sea, sailors were exposed to various airborne threats and 'acted swiftly and professionally,' according to a Navy news release. The crew provided air and missile defense against Houthi attacks on commercial ships transiting international waters. In May, the ship returned to the Eastern Mediterranean. 'Executing multiple missions across two theaters, Oscar Austin displayed the immense versatility of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer: from conducting ballistic missile defense in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to seamlessly integrating with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea,' Cmdr. David Nicolas, who took Command in May said in a release. 'But overall, it was the crew's grit and resiliency that fueled the ship's success throughout the patrol.' Along with earning the ship's combat award, six officers earned Surface Warfare Officer pins, 78 enlisted sailors got Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist pins. A Marine Corps reply-all email apocalypse has an incredible real-life ending Army shuts down its sole active-duty information operations command Army plans to close more than 20 base museums in major reduction Former Green Beret nominated to top Pentagon position to oversee special ops The Navy's new recruiting commercial puts the 'dirt wars' in the past

Coast Guard searching for missing fishing vessel off Cape Cod
Coast Guard searching for missing fishing vessel off Cape Cod

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Coast Guard searching for missing fishing vessel off Cape Cod

The Coast Guard is searching for a missing fishing vessel last seen off Cape Cod. The F/V Seahorse, a white 30-foot fishing vessel, is two days overdue and was last known to be fishing near the Target Ship Wreck near Eastham. The Coast Guard says a cell phone ping last placed the ship two miles offshore of Chatham. The vessel is captained by Shawn Arsenault. Anyone with information regarding the vessel is asked the Southeastern New England command center at (866) 819-9128. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

NC Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary visits Camp Lejeune
NC Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary visits Camp Lejeune

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

NC Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary visits Camp Lejeune

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (WNCT) — North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mallette visited Camp Lejeune Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Her visit was for her to get deeper looks at the daily operations of Marines, Sailors and their families. During her visit, Secretary Mallette toured training facilities, met with leaders and visited support centers like the USO and VA office. Secretary Mallette said she is dedicated to ensuring every service member and veteran has the resources they need for success. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store