General characteristics of the
Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship:
- Builders: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.
- Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower
- Length: 820 feet (249.9 meters)
- Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters)
- Displacement: 39,400 tons (40,032 metric tons) full load
- Speed: 24 knots (27.6 miles per hour)
- Aircraft: (Actual mix depends upon mission)
- Nine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
- Twelve CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
- Six AV-8B Harrier attack planes
- Ships:
- USS Tarawa (LHA-1), San Diego, California
- USS Saipan (LHA-2)[?], Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3)[?], San Diego, California
- USS Nassau (LHA-4)[?], Norfolk, Virginia
- USS Peleliu (LHA-5), San Diego, Califonia[?]
- Crew:
- Ships Company: 82 officers, 882 enlisted
- Marine Detachment 1,900 plus
- Armament: Two RAM launchers; two 5 inch/54 cal. MK-45 lightweight guns; two Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount; four .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns
- Date Deployed: May 29, 1976 (Tarawa)