Dave: I just got back from my Tiger Cruise --I had a great time, and learned alot about the ship. Allen posted a good link to the detailed specifications of the USS Wasp, one of eight (8) LHD-class ships currently commissioned for use in the US Navy. The first seven (7), like the Wasp are steam-powered ships that use JP5/8 or Diesel fired boilers; LHD 8 (I don't know the ship's name) is a gas turbine --it uses a jet engine for power. Right now, in order to make sure there are no mechanical issues, my son has to report Thursday night to "light off" the power plant for a Monday morning departure; I understand they fire up the gas turbine 5 minutes before they leave(one button). If you've ever toured the a steam boiler plant, you know that is a big deal.
As a frame of reference for Dave, the LHD typically goes to battle with both an LSD class ship and an LPD class ship for a group of three. The LHD has at least one LCAC or "Hovercraft" (there is room for three) and has room for up to nine (9) Ospreys on the flight deck; or some combination of Ospreys and at least two other types of helicopters (I wasn't paying all that much attention, one of them was a "Huey"). The LHD carries a complement of up to 2,200 marines with a crew of about 1,000 sailors (the Mess was pretty crowded Saturday). The LSD and LPD are smaller, and even though they might have well decks, they are not as big as the ones on the LHD. In addition to the LCAC, there is also room on the LHD to store several troop transport vehicles including armored personnel carriers (with and without tracks), tanks, jeeps, Humvees, Bradleys, etc. By way of comparison, the LSD has room for 1,200 Marines, and the LPD has room for about 800 Marines.
I had a great time and explored the ship from the forecastle to the fan tail, and from the Pit to the Bridge (signal house, actually). We watched Ospreys take off and land, and got to watch the LCAC fly out and in over the waves. One of the Tigers even went down on the Well Deck and got a picture of the LCAC leaving and got a soaking from the salt water spray for his efforts. Another Tiger couple (a mom & dad) got unauthorized access to the flight deck and photographed an Osprey taking off "up close and personal." I enjoyed spending time with my son most of all, we had a lot of time to visit over the three-day cruise.