COURTESY U.S. NAVY
Sailors and Marines man the rails aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island as the ship departs San Diego on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Navy's Maritime Strategy. This will be the maiden deployment for Makin Island, the Navy's newest amphibious assault ship and the only U.S. Navy ship with a hybrid electric propulsion system.
Nearly 4,000 sailors and Marines from the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group are in Hawaii for a port visit on the maiden deployment of Makin Island, the Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship and the only U.S. Navy ship with a hybrid electric propulsion system.
The helicopter carrier left its San Diego home port Nov. 14 for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Navy’s "Maritime Strategy," which emphasizes security, stability and seapower.
The Makin Island three-ship group includes the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the amphibious transport dock ship New Orleans and amphibious dock landing ship Pear Harbor. All are based out of San Diego.
"Pearl Harbor is the perfect first port visit of deployment for this ship as this port served as the start of the voyage for the Marines of the Second Raider Battalion en route to Makin Atoll," said Capt. Jim Landers, Makin Island’s commanding officer. "With the rich World War II naval history associated with both our ship’s name and Pearl Harbor, we know our sailors and marines will be visiting many of the historic sites in the area."
By using the unique hybrid propulsion system, the Navy expects to see fuel savings of more than $250 million during the ship’s life cycle.
According to General Electric Marine, the Makin Island has two gas turbines and two diesel electric motors.
The gas turbines, which provide 70,000 horsepower, are used for high-speed maneuvering. The two diesel electric motors combined provide 10,000 horsepower and are used for low-speed operation.
The ability to select the best mix of power plants to match mission requirements provides the opportunity for fuel savings, according to GE. The 844-foot-long Makin Island cost about $2.5 billion.