Key Points: The Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, led by the USS Wasp, are vital assets for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. These vessels, resembling mini aircraft carriers, can deploy over 1,000 Marines for amphibious missions while carrying impressive armaments and aircraft like CH-53E helicopters and AV-8B Harriers.
-Equipped with LCACs for swift landings, they excel in joint and combined arms warfare, making them pivotal in Indo-Pacific and Middle Eastern operations.
-As the Marines shift focus to amphibious combat, these ships prepare for potential conflicts over militarized islands in East Asia, sending a strong deterrence signal to adversaries like China.
Wasp-class Amphibious Assault Ship Is A Mini Aircraft Carrier of Sorts
The USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship, entered the Mediterranean Sea this summer and conducted joint operations.
That is pretty normal for a fantastic class of warships some consider akin to mini aircraft carriers.
The USS Wasp is the first of the Wasp-class amphibious assault vessels. The Wasp is all about the U.S. Marine Corps, which has a renewed relevance in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. You never know when these brave fighters must make an amphibious landing in East Asia or for the U.S. Central Command.
Let’s look closer at the Wasp-class to see what the future holds for this vital combat vessel.
Carrying One Thousand Marines Into Battle
The Wasp moniker is slightly confusing because nine other warships have had the same name. The Wasp-class usually carries around 1,600 Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
That means more than 1,000 enlisted Marines are ready to take to the shore, unleash some serious fighting ability, and bring doom to the enemy.
Check Out the Onboard Weapons
I checked Military.com and was super impressed by the Wasp-class.
The ship is loaded to the gills with two Sea Sparrow launchers, two RAM launchers, four .50 caliber machine guns, three 25mm Mk 38 machine guns, and three Phalanx close-in weapons systems.
Wasp-class vessels are powered by two geared steam turbines, two shafts, and two gas turbines that enable a speed of 20 knots.
(Oct. 4, 2007) – U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)
Aircraft Onboard Are Impressive
Now for the fun part. These amphibious ships also carry a bevy of awesome aircraft, such as 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, four CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters, six AV-8B Harrier fighters, three UH-1N Huey helicopters, and four AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters.
This is like a small air base. It could also be referred to as a mini aircraft carrier, and the Wasp-class are is the largest of all amphibious ships.
The Marines Take Over the Fight
For amphibious landing missions, the Wasp-class features the Landing Craft, Air-Cushioned (LCAC) vessel. Marine Expeditionary Units and Marine Expeditionary Brigades ride in and disembark to surprise the enemy, along with lethal air support. These types of missions are the Marine Corps’ bread and butter, dating back to the World War Two island-hopping campaign in the Pacific theater.
GULF OF AQABA (Oct. 4, 2007) – U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, Marine Aircraft Group 29, prepare for flight on the deck of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is on surge deployment to the Middle East carrying the Osprey to its first combat deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED)
It’s All About Amphibious Operations These Days
Since the Marines were not involved in primary operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the amphibious mission has become more important. The Marines have even decided to give up their tanks to focus on amphibious combat. As a former Army infantry officer, I have no amphibious experience. We train to be drown-proof, but regular swimming is not usually on the training schedule. The Marines, on the other hand, take to the water like fish. This gives the U.S. military a whole different operational and tactical mission set.
The Indo-Pacific Could Be a Potential Area of Operations
While the United States has not conducted an amphibious warfare operation in a while, there are certain situations where such a mission would be necessary. This means that the various islands, rocks, and reefs in the East Asia and South Asia Seas that the Chinese have militarized are a potential battleground. The Navy could always call for an amphibious mission to take these small islands. The idea would be to use overwhelming firepower and significant numbers of Marines to make an amphibious landing, and the USS Wasp and the Wasp-class sister ships would embark on this critical mission.
Keep China’s Premier Xi Jinping On Notice
This gives China headaches because they have to plan for joint American operations by the Air Force, the Navy, and the Marines simultaneously. That is why the potential of amphibious capabilities is so important in East Asia.
The United States has an advantage over the Chinese military because the Americans excel at joint and combined arms warfare from the air, land, and sea, while Xi Jinping’s forces have no recent combat experience.
USS Wasp (LHD-1), At Sea- Marines load ordnance onto an F-35B Lightning II during Operational Testing 1 aboard USS Wasp at sea, May 27. Marines and sailors have been working together since May 18 to assess the integration of the F-35B Lightning II, which is currently on track to replace the F/A-18 Hornet, EA-6B Prowler and the AV-8B Harrier. By the end of the testing period on May 29, U.S. Marine pilots had flown 110 F-35B sorties from USS Wasp, racking up more than 85 flight hours.
Thus, the Wasp-class amphibious assault ships are extremely relevant vessels in the Middle East and East Asia, even the Arctic. The Marines have been re-focused on amphibious warfare and have a new lease on life. China had better think twice about taking over additional islands in the First or Second Island chain, where Beijing has dubious territorial claims.
Watch the Wasp-class and its Marines closely in the future because this type of warfare can punish the enemy with massive aerial support and battle-hardened and grim-faced Marines going to shore.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
