The amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa began its final journey before being sunk as a target during the RIMPAC 2024 naval exercise. U.S. Navy tugs, with assistance from the Coast Guard, will be responsible for transporting the veteran ship to the designated position, which will become its final resting place.
Stripped of all useful systems and components, the USS Tarawa underwent a conversion process to be transformed into a naval target. This includes the removal of flammable material and welding work to ensure its watertight integrity. Although the ultimate goal is to sink the ship during the SINKEX exercise, the intention is for the Tarawa to withstand considerable punishment from the weaponry launched by some of the ships, aircraft, and submarines participating in RIMPAC 2024.
The USS Tarawa LHA-1 entered service with the U.S. Navy in late May 1976, being the first of its class. Throughout the seventies and eighties, the amphibious assault ship conducted routine deployments in the Western Pacific, taking part in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon in 1983. In 1990, as part of Operation Desert Shield, it transported Marines to Saudi Arabia before the Gulf War. Thirteen years later, it also participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The USS Tarawa was decommissioned in 2009 and transferred to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. One of the intentions considered in subsequent years was to convert it into the first amphibious assault ship museum. However, as this initiative could not be realized, the Tarawa was ultimately removed from the U.S. Navy’s ship register, and it was announced that it would be used as a target during the RIMPAC 2024 exercise.
With a displacement of 38,900 tons, the USS Tarawa could accommodate over 2,000 Marines and their respective vehicles. Its hangars and flight deck allowed the operation of various types of aircraft, with quantities varying depending on the type: from 19 CH-53E Sea Stallion heavy helicopters to 26 CH-46E Sea Knights. It also deployed UH-1N helicopters, AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, and AV-8 Harrier attack aircraft.
To get an idea of its size, note that its length extends to 250 meters, with a beam of 32 meters and a draft of 7.9 meters.
It is worth remembering that RIMPAC is one of the most important naval exercises. The 2024 edition includes contingents from 29 countries, 40 surface ships, 3 submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel. The participating nations are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Denmark, Ecuador, United States, Philippines, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, United Kingdom, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tonga.
Cover image: U.S. Navy – Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Courtney Strahan
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