Fourth Litton-built LHD amphibious assault ship to join Navy fleet Feb. 11

Business Wire, Feb 9, 1995

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 1995-- The fourth vessel of the new Wasp-class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships being built for the U.S. Navy by Litton's Ingalls Shipbuilding division will be commissioned USS Boxer (LHD-4) this Saturday, Feb. 11, at Ingalls' production facility in Pascagoula, Miss.

San Diego will be home port for the new ship.

Each 40,500-ton, 844-foot LHD is the centerpiece of a Navy amphibious ready group. The ship's primary mission is the embarkation, deployment, landing and support of a fully-equipped U.S. Marine force of nearly 2,000 troops by helicopter from the flight deck and by landing craft from a huge sheltered "well deck" in the stern section of the ship. The vessels also operate with naval battle groups, providing aircraft and command facilities for sea control missions.

The first ship of the class, USS Wasp (LHD-1), was delivered to the Navy from Ingalls' shipyard in 1989 and is now operating with the Atlantic Fleet. USS Essex (LHD-2) was delivered in 1992 and is a unit of the Pacific Fleet. USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) was delivered in 1993 and is in service with the Atlantic Fleet. Bataan (LHD-5) and Bon Homme Richard (LHD-6) are in production at Ingalls.

The Wasp-class ships are the first specifically designed to accommodate large air cushion landing craft and AV-8B Harrier short takeoff/vertical landing combat jets, which provide close-in air support to the assault force. The LHDs also accommodate the full range of Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles.

The multipurpose LHDs, which have an exterior appearance much like a World War II aircraft carrier, each contain more than 100,000 cubic feet of cargo space and 22,000 square feet of vehicle space. For combat support, as well as disaster relief and other humanitarian missions, the LHDs have six fully-equipped medical operating rooms, four dental operating rooms and hospital facilities to care for 600 patients.

In addition to the LHDs, Ingalls is currently building 11 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyers.

Litton is a leader in worldwide technology markets for advanced electronic and defense systems, and a major designer and builder of surface combatant ships for the U.S. Navy and allied nations.

CONTACT: Litton Industries, Woodland Hills

Robert S. Knapp, Office 310/859-5907

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