Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) names future America-class amphibious assault ship USS Fallujah (LHA 9).
The future USS Fallujah will commemorate the First and Second Battles of Fallujah, American-led offensives during the Iraq War.
The name selection follows the tradition of naming amphibious assault ships after U.S. Marine Corps battles.
America-class amphibious assault ships are designed to support Marine Corps Operational Maneuver.
The America-class ships replaced all of the decommissioned Tarawa-class LHAs and are now optimized for aviation ability,
Fallujah will be the fourth America-class landing helicopter assault ship.
Amphibious assault ships are often called upon to also support humanitarian and other contingency missions upon short notice.
Fallujah‘s sponsor will be Donna Berger, the wife of Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger.