By air or by sea? Marines question the utility of their new amphibious warship.

• Author: Jean, Grace V.
• Position: Amphibious Warfare

* The words "amphibious assault" traditionally conjure up images of Marines storming the beach by hovercraft.

But with the introduction of their newest amphibious assault ship in 2013, Marines will be able to reach the shore only by air.

The new vessel, the USS America, is the first of four amphibious assault ships that will eventually replace the LHA Tarawa class. Unlike the other amphibious assault ships that the Marine Corps currently operates, the USS America will not send troops and vehicles ashore aboard large hovercraft because the vessel will not have a well deck. Marines' sole means of transportation will be aircraft.

Although Marines are enthusiastic about the new ship, many of them question the decision to build a $3 billion ship without a well deck. It's been a point of contention between the Navy and Marine Corps for some time.

The aviation-centric design of the LHA replacement--or LHA(R)--also has raised questions about its long term usefulness. Considering that Marines require heavy trucks and armored vehicles once they reach the shore, most of that equipment can only be transported by hovercraft, not by helicopters.

"It's been a long-running debate, and it's still not settled," says Robert Work, a naval analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C. "There are a lot of questions on LHA(R). Will it become the standard, or will it become only a niche capability?"

There are five Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships, with three still in service. Two were decommissioned in recent years: USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) retired in October 2005 and USS Saipan (LHA-2) in April 2006.

The USS America, designated as LHA-6, will be part of the Marine Corps' amphibious assault echelon--a group of warships that would deploy along with Navy cruisers and destroyers for major contingencies. The next two LHA ships, to be funded in 2010 and 2014, are intended for the maritime pre-positioning force squadron--a logistics sea base for troops. The fourth and final ship, currently funded in the 2017 to 2018 timeframe, would also be part of the assault echelon.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway pressed for an increase in the amphibious fleet and succeeded. The plan now is to build up to 11 "big deck" amphibious assault ships--eight LHDs and three LHA(R)s--and dedicate them all to the assault echelon.

There's no clear plan yet on whether to put big decks in the logistics squadron--that decision will be deferred until after the fiscal 2010 budget, says Work. The Marines lately have been trying to make a case that they need three additional amphibious assault vessels, for a total of 14. "The chances of that happening, I think, are zero," he says.

The LHA-6 hull is based on the design used in the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), which is the first gas-turbine ship in the Wasp class of amphibious assault ships. Both are under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula...