LHA 6 heads to California

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Crowds gathered on both sides of the river to send off the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship Friday morning. America, LHA 6, set sail from Ingalls Shipbuilding at about 9:30 a.m. LHA 6, which can accommodate 1,059 crew and 1,687 Marines, is slated for a commissioning on Oct. 11 in San Francisco, Calif. It will be homeported in San Diego. The ship can carry a variety of aircraft, including 12 MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, nine F-35B joint strike fighters, four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, four CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters and two MH-60S search and rescue helicopters. (Source: Mississippi Press, 07/11/14)