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| USS Makin Island (LHD-8) | |
|---|---|
| Ship name | USS Makin Island (LHD-8) |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Ship class | Wasp-class amphibious assault ship |
| Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) |
| Laid down | 15 June 2001 |
| Launched | 15 November 2006 |
| Commissioned | 24 October 2009 |
| Namesake | Makin Island raid |
| Fate | active service |
USS Makin Island (LHD-8) is an Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy commissioned in 2009, built to embark and support United States Marine Corps air and ground units and to conduct amphibious warfare and expeditionary operations. The ship incorporates a hybrid gas turbine and diesel engine propulsion arrangement unique among her class and serves as a platform for MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, AV-8B Harrier II jets, and CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters during power projection and humanitarian missions. Makin Island is named for the Makin Island raid of 1942 and has participated in a variety of operations under United States Pacific Fleet and United States Fifth Fleet commands.
Makin Island was designed as a follow-on to earlier Wasp-class vessels, with hull and flight deck arrangements to support Landing Craft Air Cushion operations, LCAC, LCU, and Marine Expeditionary Unit embarkation, and was laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding which is part of Huntington Ingalls Industries, launched with ceremonies involving United States Secretary of the Navy representatives, and commissioned into United States Navy service after fitting out and sea trials. The ship's architecture integrates elements from Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose) concepts, flight deck and well deck layouts akin to USS Wasp (LHD-1), and survivability features referenced in Naval Vessel Protection standards to meet Chief of Naval Operations requirements. Construction incorporated modular assembly techniques developed at Newport News Shipbuilding and employed suppliers from the United States defense industrial base including companies affiliated with Lockheed Martin and General Electric for systems and auxiliaries.
Makin Island displaces approximately 40,500 tons full load, with length overall near 844 feet, beam about 106 feet, and draft comparable to other Wasp-class ships, and the vessel's propulsion uses a hybrid arrangement pairing General Electric LM2500 gas turbines with high-efficiency Fairbanks Morse diesel engines to improve fuel economy for transits and sortie generation. The ship's aviation facilities support mixed air wings including MV-22 Osprey, CH-53E Super Stallion, AH-1Z Viper, and STOVL aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier II and planned F-35B Lightning II contingents, and its well deck accommodates LCAC hovercraft and AAVP7A1 amphibious assault vehicles for ship-to-shore movement. Command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) suites onboard interface with Carrier Strike Group elements and Expeditionary Strike Group commanders, while medical and casualty care facilities meet standards for Fleet Surgical Team operations and humanitarian response.
Since commissioning in 2009 Makin Island has operated across the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf regions, conducting exercises with partner navies including Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Navy, Republic of Korea Navy, and Royal Navy units, and has integrated with Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployments to support amphibious assault training, disaster relief, and security operations. The ship has participated in multinational exercises such as RIMPAC, Talisman Sabre, and Operation Enduring Freedom-era support missions, while serving as the flagship for task groups under United States Pacific Fleet and United States Fifth Fleet command structures during routine deployments. Makin Island's embarked squadrons and Marines have conducted flight operations, amphibious raids, and maritime interdiction tasks alongside United States Coast Guard detachments and NATO partners during interoperability events.
Makin Island has completed multiple deployments with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), 15th MEU, and other amphibious ready groups, executing missions ranging from crisis response and noncombatant evacuation operations to humanitarian assistance after natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes in the Asia-Pacific region. The ship has supported Operation Inherent Resolve-era maritime security operations in coordination with Coalition forces in the Middle East, participated in freedom of navigation transits in contested waters near South China Sea features, and engaged in bilateral and multilateral exercises alongside People's Liberation Army Navy counterparts in port calls. Embarked aviation and ground elements have also taken part in training evolutions with Special Operations Command units, Navy SEALs, and Marine Raiders for amphibious insertion and ship-to-shore maneuver rehearsals.
During scheduled availabilities at Naval Station Pearl Harbor and shipyards including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard-associated contractors and Norfolk Naval Shipyard facilities, Makin Island underwent maintenance availabilities addressing propulsion systems, hull coatings, and combat systems upgrades to integrate improved sensors and communications hardware from vendors like Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, and to prepare for future F-35B Lightning II-capable operations. Planned modernizations included electrical power distribution improvements to support high-energy systems, aviation support enhancements to handle increased sortie rates for MV-22 Osprey and STOVL aircraft, and habitability refurbishments in line with standards set by Chief of Naval Personnel for crew welfare.
Makin Island experienced engineering and maintenance challenges early in her career related to the novel hybrid propulsion configuration, which prompted extended yard periods and corrective actions overseen by Chief of Naval Operations staff and Naval Sea Systems Command engineers, and she has been involved in minor incidents during at-sea operations and flight deck evolutions that required internal investigations under Judge Advocate General (Navy) procedures and safety reviews by Commander, Naval Air Forces. Routine mishaps associated with complex flight operations and amphibious exercises led to updated procedures coordinated with Naval Safety Center and Marine Corps Combat Development Command to mitigate future risk.
The ship's name commemorates the Makin Island raid of August 1942, a Merrill's Marauders-era precursor to modern special operations and a joint United States Marine Corps and United States Army action in the Pacific theater of World War II, reflecting a heritage shared with other vessels named for historic engagements; the ship carries artifacts and commemorative plaques honoring participants, and it conducts outreach with veterans' organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion during port visits. As part of Naval tradition the vessel maintains ceremonial links to the raid's legacy through commemorations involving service chiefs, local civic leaders, and historians from institutions like the Naval Historical Center and the National WWII Museum.
Category:Wasp-class amphibious assault ships Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia Category:2006 ships