US Navy modernizes USS America amphibious assault ship to boost aviation strike capacity.

On May 21, 2025, General Dynamics NASSCO announced it had been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract by the U.S. Navy for work on the USS America (LHA 6), which is currently deployed in the East China Sea as part of the U.S. 7th Fleet. While the amphibious assault ship continues its operational activities in Japan, including recent flight operations involving two F-35B Lightning II aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, the shipbuilder’s San Diego facility is preparing for a future maintenance, modernization, and repair period under the Fiscal Year 2026 Docking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) program, upon the ship's return to San Diego.
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The USS America is designed to deploy Marine Expeditionary Units by air for amphibious assault, crisis response, and maritime security operations, thanks to a top speed that exceeds 22 knots at sea. (Picture source: US Navy)

Valued at $198,955,270, the firm-fixed-price awarded to General Dynamics NASSCO for the DSRA of the USS America (LHA 6) includes additional options which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative value to $209,233,949. The work will take place in San Diego, California, and is scheduled for completion by July 2027. Funding sources for this contract include $181,196,632 (91 percent) from Fiscal Year 2025 Other Procurement (Navy) funds and $17,758,638 (9 percent) from Fiscal Year 2025 Operations and Maintenance (Navy) funds. The portion derived from the operations and maintenance budget will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract, managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), was competitively procured via the System for Award Management (SAM) website, with two offers received.

The America-class amphibious assault ship program was initiated to replace the Tarawa-class LHAs and respond to evolving operational requirements that emphasized aviation capabilities. The lead ship, LHA 6, was authorized in 2007, and construction began in December 2008 following the U.S. Navy’s decision to award a $2.4 billion fixed-price incentive contract to Northrop Grumman’s Ingalls Shipbuilding Division in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The keel was laid on July 17, 2009, and the ship was launched on June 4, 2012. It was christened on October 20, 2012, and delivered on April 10, 2014. Commissioning took place in San Francisco on October 11, 2014, during Fleet Week. Initial planning for future America-class ships dates back to the late 1990s under the LH(X) concept.

The America-class is divided into Flight 0 and Flight I configurations. USS America (LHA 6) and USS Tripoli (LHA 7) belong to Flight 0, a configuration that does not include a well deck. This design omits the capability to launch landing craft or amphibious assault vehicles, allowing for a larger aviation hangar, expanded aviation fuel storage, and increased maintenance and support facilities. The absence of the well deck, which traditionally supports the deployment of LCACs and other amphibious vehicles, has been criticized as limiting operational flexibility. In response, Flight I ships, starting with USS Bougainville (LHA 8), have reintroduced the well deck, trading amphibious landing capabilities for increased aviation space. The Navy and Marine Corps signed a Memorandum of Agreement to restore this feature, and design changes have been incorporated into LHA 8 and subsequent ships, including USS Fallujah (LHA 9) and USS Helmand Province (LHA 10).

On the USS America, a typical air wing may include 12 MV-22Bs, 6 F-35Bs, 4 CH-53Ks, 7 AH-1Z/UH-1Ys, and 2 MH-60Ss, although the aircraft complement is adjusted depending on the mission. (Picture source: US Navy)

The USS America (LHA 6) is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name and serves as the lead ship of its class. It displaces 44,971 long tons (45,693 metric tons) at full load and measures 844 feet (257 meters) in length with a beam of 106 feet (32 meters) and a draft of 26 feet (7.9 meters). The ship is powered by two marine gas turbines producing 70,000 brake horsepower, along with two auxiliary propulsion motors of 5,000 horsepower each. The maximum speed exceeds 22 knots. It was designed to serve as the flagship of an Amphibious Ready Group or Expeditionary Strike Group and is configured to support air operations as the primary method for inserting Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) ashore. The ship’s motto, Bello vel pace paratus, "Ready for War or Peace," captures its dual-purpose design and strategic versatility.

The ship has a standard crew of 102 officers and 1,102 enlisted personnel and can carry 1,687 Marines, with surge capacity for an additional 184. The aviation facilities are optimized for the MV-22B Osprey, F-35B Lightning II, CH-53K King Stallion, UH-1Y Venom, AH-1Z Viper, and MH-60S Knighthawk. A typical air wing may include 12 MV-22Bs, 6 F-35Bs, 4 CH-53Ks, 7 AH-1Z/UH-1Ys, and 2 MH-60Ss, although the aircraft complement is adjusted depending on the mission. The ship can also carry up to 20 F-35Bs and 2 MH-60Ss when configured for light carrier operations. The sensor and communication suite includes the AN/SPQ-9B surface search radar, AN/SPS-48E(V)10 3D air search radar, AN/SPS-49(V)1 2D air search radar, AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar, the Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) Mod 4, and Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). Its defensive armament includes two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, two Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile launchers, two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two 25mm M242 Bushmaster systems, and seven twin .50 caliber machine guns.

The DSRA modification phase scheduled for USS America could involve structural changes to improve the ship’s ability to support high-tempo operations with F-35Bs. Specifically, reinforcements might be added beneath flight deck landing spots 7 and 9 to manage the thermal load from the F-35B’s exhaust during vertical landings. This work could also include the removal of existing piping and lighting systems to access the structural areas that require modification. Similar reinforcements have already been implemented on USS Wasp and are being designed into all future America-class ships. Additional minor changes may include the repositioning of antennas to provide an unobstructed flight path for aviation operations.

Landing Helicopter Assault ships, or LHAs, are intended to operate as part of Amphibious Ready Groups or Expeditionary Strike Groups and serve as key components of the US Navy’s expeditionary warfare capability. (Picture source: US Navy)

The classification “LHA” stands for “Landing Helicopter Assault,” designating large-deck amphibious assault ships designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). These ships support helicopters, tiltrotors such as the MV-22, and STOVL aircraft such as the F-35B, and may also be used for humanitarian assistance and disaster response. LHAs are intended to operate as part of Amphibious Ready Groups or Expeditionary Strike Groups and serve as key components of the Navy’s expeditionary warfare capability. Unlike LHDs, which include a well deck, Flight 0 LHAs such as America and Tripoli do not carry landing craft. Future LHAs, beginning with Bougainville, reintroduce this capability.

General Dynamics NASSCO, the contractor responsible for this DSRA, operates four shipyards: San Diego, Norfolk, Bremerton, and Mayport. It is the only shipbuilder on the U.S. West Coast capable of constructing large new vessels and conducting major repair and modernization work on Navy ships. The company also owns Tecnologías Internacionales de Manufactura S.A. de C.V. (TIMSA), a subsidiary based in Mexicali, Mexico, which supports fabrication and production activities. NASSCO began as California Iron Works in 1905 and became National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in 1949. It was later acquired by General Dynamics in 1998 for $415 million. The San Diego facility is equipped to accommodate large surface combatants and auxiliary vessels, including drydocking and complex system integration.

NASSCO’s commercial and military portfolio includes the construction of dry cargo ships, tankers, and auxiliary platforms. The yard produced the Exxon Valdez, which returned to San Diego for repairs following the 1989 oil spill in Alaska. In the 2000s, NASSCO was awarded the 14-ship T-AKE program to build Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo/ammunition ships and later secured contracts for the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) series. The company has also constructed the USNS Sojourner Truth for the US Navy, as well as LNG-powered container vessels and Kanaloa-class freighters for Matson, Inc. In addition to construction, NASSCO supports the Navy with long-term maintenance and modernization of existing ships, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The DSRA on USS America is part of a broader set of activities maintaining the operational availability of key expeditionary platforms in the U.S. fleet.