October 14, 2018 -- DOHA: The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) arrived in Doha Port for a scheduled port visit to Qatar today. The USS Essex is the largest ever U.S. Navy vessel to visit Qatar.
Port calls, like the visit of the USS Essex, reaffirm U.S. commitment to regional security and protecting the free and secure flow of commercial activity in the region and the surrounding waterways, and represent an expression of friendship and opportunity to deepen bilateral partnerships.
Charge d’Affaires William Grant said, “The visit of the USS Essex, an incredible display of naval technology, here in Qatar is another example of the importance of the U.S. and Qatar’s strategic partnership. Without a doubt, the USS Essex’s visit – the largest U.S. Navy ship to port in Doha – demonstrates the expansion of the military cooperation between our two countries.”
Embarked on the Essex are members the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), comprising approximately 1,600 of the Essex’s total 3,000 personnel aboard. The MEU’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 is the first continental U.S.-based Navy and Marine Corps force to deploy with the F-35B Lightning II, a cutting-edge fifth-generation fighter making its first deployment to the region.
The USS Essex is among the largest class of ships in the U.S. Navy. The Wasp-class is a class of Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships operated by the U.S. Navy. The USS Essex was built at Pascagoula, Mississippi, and commissioned on 17 October 1992.
At 844-feet long and 44,000-tons full load, the USS Essex’s primary mission is to conduct prompt, sustained operations at sea, primarily as the centerpiece and flagship of the Amphibious Ready Group. Designed to be versatile, the USS Essex can simultaneously employ helicopters, vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft, and landing craft air cushioned (LCAC), as well as conventional landing craft and assault vehicles in various combinations. The ship’s extensive medical facilities consist of six medical operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, medical laboratories and hospital facilities capable of caring for 600 patients.
For more information about the USS Essex please visit https://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/lhd2/Pages/aboutus.aspx and follow the U.S. Embassy in Qatar on Twitter @USEmbassyQatar and @USAmbQatar. Full resolution photos of the USS Essex at Doha Port can be found here: https://goo.gl/Jdkokb .
Full Resolution Photos:
https://goo.gl/3TAu3c
https://goo.gl/4x3MYm
Full gallery of high resolution USS Essex Photos: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=56594044%40N06&view_all=1&text=essex