The U.S. Navy's newest amphibious assault ship, the USS America, is being commissioned into service Saturday in San Francisco, Calif.
The ship is equipped with a fuel-efficient hybrid electric propulsion system and additional aviation spaces, including an enlarged hangar deck, realigned and expanded aviation maintenance facilities and increased space for aircraft parts, support equipment and aviation fuel.
"The USS America provides a flexible, multi-mission platform with capabilities that span the range of military operations -- from forward deployed crisis response to forcible entry operations, the Navy said. "The ship also provides forward presence and power projection as an integral part of joint, inter-agency and multinational maritime expeditionary forces."
The ship was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries. It's 844 feet long, 106 feet in the beam and has a speed of more than 22 knots.
It is used to carry U.S. Marine Corps troops and equipment, including aircraft.
The America-class of LHA is a "big deck" ship and will not only be able to support helicopters, but also tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey aircraft and F-35B Lightning IIs.
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