This Impressive US Navy Ship Does A Lot More Than Just Launch Fighter Jets

Aircraft carriers can obviously do a lot of things apart from carrying aircraft, as the name implies. A carrier can act as a force projector to other parts of the world, help administer humanitarian aid in the event of a disaster, or look scary parked off the coast of a hostile area to dissuade more armed action. 

In addition to aircraft carriers you might know, like the Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, there are numerous other ships in the U.S. Navy's fleet that look a lot like aircraft carriers. However, they are capable of a little more flexibility than just putting fighter jets into the sky. 

The U.S.S. America is an America-class amphibious assault ship that has been in service since 2017. With the crowded deck of helicopters and jets, you might think it's just a smaller aircraft carrier than a Nimitz, even though the America-class is still huge at 844 feet long and a displacement of 44,971 tons.

One of the vessel's main jobs is the same as that of a more conventional aircraft carrier. It carries a complement of F-35B Lightning II aircraft that have the capability of landing vertically on the deck. It can also carry attack helicopters like the AH-1Z Super Cobra. 

But here is where it differs from other ships of its general shape. In addition to carrying 1,204 sailors to keep the ship and aircraft running smoothly. Its other job is to deliver a U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) into combat. 1,871 Marines can deploy from the America via V-22 Ospreys, MH-60 Sea Hawk, or CH-53 Sea Stallions.

So yes, the U.S.S. America is certainly capable of operating as a regular aircraft carrier by launching fighter jets to counteract airborne threats. However, the ability to launch Marines sets it apart from the rest of the fleet. The America has a sister ship of the same class, the U.S.S. Tripoli.