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:
  • 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)