Wings Over Iraq

The 30 amphibs will be enough to fill the 10 amphibious readiness groups and “we’ll be able to maintain the presence to move the [Marine Expeditionary Units] we have,” Mulloy said. Even though the fleet is capped, the sea service will focus on maintaining its large-deck amphibs — like the Gator Navy’s mini-carriers like the USS Wasp and USS Kearsarge — Mulloy said. That said, the Navy is planning on buying one more Tarawa-class large-deck amphib in fiscal ‘17, according to Mulloy. “We maintain the large-deck amphib at the end of the [five-year defense plan] really for a Marine Corps need and a Navy need,” Mulloy said. “Those ships are tremendously valued to the Navy, around whether it’s at other bases or other events going on around the world.”

(Source: amphibiosity)