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USS Pegasus. These ships can operate in all
weather conditions and can move in heavy seas
with a stability that is usually found only in much
larger ships. The Pegasus-class PHM displaces
231 tons; is 131 feet long and 28 feet wide; and
carries a crew of 21, including officers and enlisted
personnel. It is designed for strike, patrol, and
surveillance missions. Its armament consists of a
rapid-fire, 76-mm gun and an 8-tube Harpoon
ship-to-ship missile launcher.
AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS. —Am-
phibious assault ships (general purpose) (LHAs)
and amphibious assault ships (multipurpose)
(LHDs) can embark, deploy, and land a Marine
battalion landing team. They can use helicopters,
landing
craft,
amphibious
vehicles,
and
combinations of these methods.
The newest class of amphibious assault ships is
the Wasp class. The USS Wasp (LHD-1), shown in
figure 19-11, is the largest amphibious ship in the
world. It combines many of the features of other
amphibious ships into a single ship. The electronic
and communications systems of the Wasp will
allow it to serve as a command post.
Wasp Class Data
Displacement
40,533 tons
Length
844 feet
Beam
106 feet
Draft
28 feet
Shaft horsepower
70,000
Aircraft
33
Accommodations
1,321
Troops
1,894
Also falling under the category of an
amphibious assault ship is the Tarawa-class LHA.
134.113
Figure 19-11.-Artist’s conception of USS Wasp (LHD-1).
19-12
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