what+is+the+amphibious+assault+ships+doing+in +the+war+against+terrorism +especially+the+USS+BATAAN

I found that as a Google search string in my refers, and it strikes me that other people might find the answer interesting.USS Bataan is currently attached to the USS Theodore Roosevelt battle group which is operating in the Arabian Sea. USS Bataan is a member of the Wasp class of amphibious assault ships. These are immense ships, in fact larger than anything else in the navy except for big deck carriers. At about 40,000 tons, they are larger than the biggest aircraft carriers which the US deployed in World War II. Their job is to support both aircraft and landing craft for Marines which are carried on board. They carry three ways of projecting power. First, they typically carry 5 AH-8B Harriers, though in unusual circumstances they can operate up to 20. Second, they carry 42 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters for purposes of transporting air-mobile Marines to shore. Third, they carry LCAC hovercraft to support landing operations, especially to land vehicles such as trucks, HMMVs and tanks as well as artillery. Typical doctrine is for helicopters to land a force just inland of the shore, who will knock out any defenses. Then LCACs will start landing heavier equipment and more men to substantially widen the beachhead, while Harriers will provide close air support as needed.

Of course, they don't operate alone; doctrine is for LHDs to operate as part of a larger fleet with protection by at least one carrier, and jets from that carrier will also provide air support for any landing.

So given that Afghanistan has no beaches, why are there LHD's in the Arabian Sea? One reason is that they are assigned semipermanently to carrier task forces. But in fact they're not wasting their time, because their Sea Knight helicopters have the ability to carry men a considerable distance inland. If, for instance, it was decided to try to create an airhead in southern Afghanistan, it would be possible to create a temporary base in Pakistan to stage further inland. Sea Knights are heavy-lift helicopters capable of carrying supplies as well as men. Moreover, an LHD is a barracks ship; its primary purpose is to carry Marines in large numbers. USS Kittyhawk is also in that area carrying many more helicopters.

As it happens, we have not done that. But we could have, and the point of having two LHD's in that area was to provide options to our commanders, and worries for our enemies. The more things we are capable of, the harder it is for our enemies to figure out what we're going to do, and therefore the harder it is for them to defend against what we actually end up doing.

Nor, indeed, is it uncertain that we won't eventually use them that way, though it is now unlikely during this campaigning season. But even sitting offshore looking fierce can be a tremendous asset. During the Gulf War, a regiment of Marines sat off the coast of Kuwait and threatened a landing which never came. But by so doing they tied down three Iraqi divisions who were thus not on the southern front when the attack began. Equally, we can be sure that our Marines sitting off the coast weighed heavily on the mind of the Taliban commanders, and may well have tied down substantial Taliban forces to protect Kandahar, who were therefore not available to defend cities further north.

Of course, the best time to bluff is with four aces, and if indeed the opportunity had arisen to use the Marines in a reasonable way against the Taliban, you can be sure they would have moved in (and done a superb job). And that is why the Taliban leadership had to take them seriously. (discussion in progress)