what kind of ship is the uss iwo jima

The name “USS Iwo Jima” has been used for U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships , designed to carry Marines, aircraft, and landing craft for operations from the sea onto shore.

Quick scoop

• The original USS Iwo Jima (LPH‑2) was a helicopter-carrying amphibious assault ship, the lead ship of the Iwo Jima–class, built specifically as a “Landing Platform Helicopter” (LPH).

• The current USS Iwo Jima (LHD‑7) is a Wasp‑class amphibious assault ship, officially a “Landing Helicopter Dock” (LHD), able to operate helicopters and short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft like the F‑35B and MV‑22 Osprey.

• In practical terms, both incarnations are big-deck amphibious assault ships that function like small aircraft carriers for Marine Corps expeditionary forces.

Two ships with the same name

• LPH‑2 (commissioned 1961, decommissioned 1993) was the first ship purpose-built as an amphibious assault helicopter carrier, optimized to lift Marines ashore by helicopter instead of traditional landing craft.

• LHD‑7 (commissioned 2001 and still in service) is larger and more versatile, with a full-length flight deck, a well deck for landing craft, and a mixed air wing of helicopters and tilt‑rotor/jet aircraft to support amphibious operations.

What that means in plain language

• When people ask “what kind of ship is the USS Iwo Jima,” they are almost always referring to LHD‑7, which is a modern U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship, not a traditional destroyer, cruiser, or carrier.

• Its primary mission is to deploy, land, and support Marines and their gear during crises, humanitarian missions, and combat operations from the sea.

Bottom line: USS Iwo Jima is a large-deck amphibious assault ship, purpose- built to put Marines, helicopters, and assault aircraft right off an enemy’s coast.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.