USS Makin Island (LHD-8)

History
USS Makin Island operating in the Indian Ocean during 2012
United States
Name:	USS Makin Island
Namesake:	Makin Island
Awarded:	19 April 2002
Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down:	14 February 2004
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Silke Hagee, wife of Michael Hagee
Christened:	19 August 2006
Launched:	22 September 2006
Acquired:	16 April 2009
Commissioned:	24 October 2009
Homeport:	San Diego, California
Motto:	Gung Ho
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:	41,649 long tons (42,317 t) full, 28,176 long tons (28,628 t) light, 12,821 long tons (13,027 t) dead
Length:	847 ft (258 m) overall, 778 ft (237 m) waterline
Beam:	118 ft (36 m) extreme, 106 ft (32 m) waterline
Draft:	27 ft (8.2 m) navigational, 28 ft (8.5 m) limit
Installed power:	2 × 35,000 shaft horsepower (26,000 kW) gas turbines (GE - LM 2500+) 2 x 5,000 shp (3,700 kW) electric motors 6 × 4,000 kW diesel generators (Fairbanks Morse Engines)
Propulsion:	Hybrid electric propulsion driving two shafts 70,000 shaft horsepower (52,000 kW), 2 × 16.5 ft (5.0 m) diameter controllable pitch propellers (Rolls Royce)
Speed:	25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried:	3 × LCAC or 39 EFVs
Complement:	(typical) Embarked ship's company: 102 officers, 78 CPO/SNCO, 1,024 crew Embarked Marine detachment: 174 officers, 64 SNCO, 1,449 crew
Armament:	2 × Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, 2 × NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts, 4 × 0.50 in machine guns, 3 × 25 mm Mk 38 autocannon, 1 × ceremonial gun
Aircraft carried:	(typical): Assault: AH-1W/Z, UH-1Y, MV-22B, CH-53E, and AV-8B or F-35B (Exact amount Unknown)

USS Makin Island (LHD-8), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Makin Island, target of the Marine Raiders' Makin Island raid early on in the United States' involvement in World War II.

Makin Island's task is to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine landing force in an Amphibious Assault by helicopters, landing craft, and amphibious vehicles. The secondary or convertible mission for Makin Island is that of sea control and power projection.

Makin Island is the eighth ship of the Wasp class, but features noteworthy technological advances. Changes from the previous LHD design include: gas turbine main propulsion engines, all-electric auxiliaries, an advanced machinery control system, water mist fire protection systems, and the navy’s most advanced command and control and combat systems equipment. The new propulsion system allows the engines to be directly controlled from the throttles on the bridge replacing the traditional engine order telegraphs on the earlier Wasp-class LHDs.

Makin Island was laid down on 14 February 2004 at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi. The vessel has a light displacement of 28,176 long tons (28,628 t) and a full load displacement of 41,684 long tons (42,353 t) with a dead weight is 13,508 long tons (13,725 t). She has an overall length of 847 feet (258 m) and a waterline length of 778 feet (237 m). The extreme beam is 118 feet (36 m) with the beam at the waterline being 106 feet (32 m) and the draft is 28 feet (8.5 m). The maximum speed is 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph).

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