Tarawa class amphibious assault ship

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General characteristics of the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship:

• Builders: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
• Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower (52 MW)
• Length: 820 ft (249.9 m)
• Beam: 106 ft (31.8 m)
• Displacement: 39,400 tons (40,032 t) full load
• Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h)

• Aircraft: (Actual mix depends upon mission)
  • Nine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
  • Twelve CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
  • Six AV-8B Harrier II fighter-bombers

• Ships:
  • USS Tarawa (LHA-1), San Diego, California
  • USS Saipan (LHA-2), Norfolk, Virginia
  • USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), San Diego, California
  • USS Nassau (LHA-4), Norfolk, Virginia
  • USS Peleliu (LHA-5), San Diego, California
  • Four more ships of the class were in the long range plans, but were cancelled prior to being ordered or named.

• Crew:
  • Ships Company: 82 officers, 882 enlisted
  • Marine Detachment 1,900 plus

• Armament: Two RAM launchers; two Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount; four 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns. The class was originally equipped with 2 5"/54 (127mm) Mk. 45 lightweight guns, intended for shore bombardment and anti-air defense as well as point defense against ships and boats. In practice, these proved ineffective, and were removed from all five vessels.

• Date Deployed: May 29, 1976 (Tarawa)

The Tarawa class formed the basis for the later Wasp class. They can be best told apart from bow sponsons. The Tarawa type has bow sponsons, originally for 5 inch (127 mm) guns, while the Wasp does not.

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