US Navy Christens New F-35B-Carrying Warship

Di Vincenzo Santo*

(Da The Diplomat – 28 settembre 2017)

Washington. The second America-class amphibious assault ship, USS Tripoli, was officially christened during a ceremony attended by around 2,000 guests at the Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi on September 16. The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, officially designated Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) 7, was launched in May 2017. It is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named Tripoli. The 44,000-ton warship is an aircraft carrier in all but name and can accommodate up to nine F-35B fighter jet, the U.S. Marine Corps variant of the supersonic fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, capable of vertical or short takeoffs and vertical landings without requiring a catapult launcher. In addition, the ship can carry four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, four CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, 12 MV-22 Ospreys, and two MH-60S Search and Rescue helicopters. (…) The ship can also carry an assault force of around 1,800 U.S. Marines and amphibious warfare equipment, next to a crew of about 1,200. The third America-class amphibious assault ship, the USS Bougainville, is currently being assembled at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.  The USS Tripoli is slated for delivery to the US Navy in December 2018, whereas Bougainville is scheduled to be handed over in 2024. The U.S. Navy plans for a total force of 11 America-class amphibious assault ships. (…)

La USS Tripoli

*Generale CA (Riserva)

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