Generally translated as the America-class amphibious assault ship, the design can broadly be described as a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship modified specifically to operate the F-35, with about 45% of its Flight 0 phase based on the LHD-8, with docking bays removed to accommodate more aircraft and aviation fuel. The removal of the docking bay for landing craft provides for two wider and taller extended hangar decks, each equipped with an aircraft maintenance bridge crane.
These changes were made for the F-35B and MV-22. A typical aircraft configuration is 12 MV-22B Fishhawk transports, six F-35B Lightning II fighters with short takeoff and landing capability, four CH-53K Super Stallions, and two F-53K Super Stallions with short takeoff and landing capability. 53K Super Stallion heavy lift helicopters, seven AH-1Z Super Cobra/UH-1 Helicopter Y Venom and two MH-60 Pave Hawk. Medium helicopter S Seahawk to provide air-sea rescue. The configuration of the aircraft can vary depending on the mission, and it can carry 20 F-35Bs and two MH-60Ss in a light carrier role.
Other enhancements include reconfigurable command and complex control, a shipboard hospital, the ability to carry additional aviation fuel, and numerous aviation support positions.
Basic Data
Full Displacement: 45,700 tons
Overall Length: 844 ft (257.3 m)
Overall Beam: 106 ft (32.3 m)
Power: Two gas turbine engines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower, two 5,000 hp auxiliary propulsion motors.
Top speed: 20+ knots (37+ km/h)
Crew: 65 officers, 994 sailors
1,687 Marines (plus 184 surge)
Electronics
AN/SPQ-9B Fire control
AN/SPS-48E Air search Radar
AN/SLQ-32B(V)2
2 × Mk53 NULKA decoy launchers
Weaponry
2 × RIM-116 Rolling Body Missile Launchers
2 × Improved Sea Sparrow Missile Launchers
2 × 20 mm Dense Array Proximity Weapon Systems
7 × twin .50 caliber machine guns
Shipboard aircraft
MV-22B Fishhawk
F-35B Lightning II
CH-53K " Super Stallion"
UH-1Y "Venom"
AH-1Z "Super Cobra"
MH-60S "Seahawk "