From: Ad 

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/06/the-usas-new-lhar-ship-class-carrie
r-air-amphibious-assault-updated/index.php#more

"Designed to project power and maintain presence, LHA-Replacement
(LHA-R) large deck amphibious assault ships (also known as LH-X) will
replace the LHA-1 Tarawa Class. They're based on the more modern LHD Wasp
Class design, but remove the LHD's landing craft in favor of acting as an
escort carrier with berthing spaces for Marines. LHA-R ships will be almost
80 feet longer than USS Wasp and 10 feet wider, since they don't have to
fit through the Panama Canal. As a result, these ships will weigh in at
50,000t fully loaded rather than 42,000t; this is larger than France's
nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the 43,000t FNS Charles De Gaulle."


"Removal of the traditional well deck provides the LHA-R with an
extended hangar deck, including 2 wider high-bay areas fitted with overhead
cranes for aircraft maintenance, additional aviation fuel capacity, and
other aviation support spaces. These modifications come at a capability
cost, removing the LHA-R's ability to launch and land medium-heavy vehicles
like the USMC's AAV7 amphibious armored personnel carriers, their future
EFV armored vehicle, or LCAC hovercraft that can carry vehicles like M1
tanks and mine resistant MRAP type vehicles ashore.

In addition to its complement of Marines et. al., LHA-R ships will rely on
a mix of MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotors; CH-53E/K heavy transport, MH-60R/S
multi-role utility, and AH-1W/Z attack helicopters; plus 8-20 fixed wing
F-35B Lightning II STOVL aircraft, to support amphibious operations. The
current ranges under discussion would give the LHA-R a balanced carrying
capability for about 30-35 aircraft in varying combinations, or less if
more of the larger MV-22s or CH-53s are chosen.

Unlike many carriers that operate V/STOL or STOVL fighters, ships of the
LHA-R class will not have a "ski ramp" on the front, designed to
allow fighter (or UAV, OR tilt-rotor) takeoffs that use less fuel and/or
allow larger takeoff loads. This penalizes fixed wing performance, while
increasing the number of locations available for helicopters."

Lack of a ski jump strikes me as a mistake.

Looks like Marine aviation is getting their own brown water "more in
harm's way" carriers backed up by std cvn'es doing the OTH role.

I wonder if many of the ospreys will be config'ed for tanker duites.

Adam

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