Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Makin Island (LHD-8)

/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Mike - Xray - Golf
 NMKI
Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Multi-Purpose):
  • Laid down, 14 February 2004, at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula. MS.
  • Launched, 19 August 2006
  • Commissioning, Fall 2007
  • Makin Island is tentatively assigned the Pacific Fleet and will be homeported at San Diego, CA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 40,500 tons (fl.)
    Length 844'
    Beam 106'
    Speed 20 kts.+
    Complement 104 Officer, 1004 Enlisted
    Marine Force 1894
    Armament 2 Sea Sparrow launchers, 3 20 mm Phalanx (CIWS)mounts, 8 50cal. mgs.
    Aircraft 42 CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters, 5 AV-8B Harrier aircraft, 6 ASW helicopters
    Power Plant General Electric [GE] "LM 2500 plus" gas turbine engines , two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Makin Island 29k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) while under construction at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula. MS, 20 May 2005.
    Northrop Grumman Ship Systems photo    		 Charles Canterbury
    Makin Island 227k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) while under construction at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula. MS, 11 August 2006.
    Northrop Grumman Ship Systems photo    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Makin Island 57k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) sponsor, Mrs. Silke B. Hagee, christens the ship with a bottle of champagne across her bow at the ships launching, 19 August 2006, at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula. MS.
    Northrop Grumman Ship Systems photo    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Makin Island 142k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) begins her first at sea period to conduct Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) Builder's Sea Trials in the Gulf of Mexico, 9 December 2008.
    US Navy photo from the USS Makin Island web site.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Makin Island 480k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) departs the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Gulf Coast shipyard for five days of Builder's Trials to tests a wide variety of systems and equipment. More than 100 Makin Island Sailors were embarked to observe and monitor the testing conducted be Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding personnel. Makin Island, scheduled for commissioning 24 October 2009 in San Diego, will be the Navy's eighth and final Wasp Class amphibious assault ship.
    US Navy photo # 081209-N-2225N-002 GULF OF MEXICO (Dec. 9, 2008) by MC3 Alec Noe.    		 Lee Wahler
    Makin Island 1093k The well deck of Pre-Commissioning Unit PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) is flooded as Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Gulf Coast personnel open the stern gate during a five-day Builders Trial underway.
    US Navy photo # 081210-N-3357M-005 GULF OF MEXICO (Dec. 10, 2008) by MCC W. Scott Mishley.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Makin Island 982k Pre-Commissioning Unit PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) at sea for Builder's Trials in the Gulf of Mexico, 9 December 2009. Courtesy Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGXB), Gulf Coast.
    Makin Island 3095k
    Makin Island 906k
    Makin Island 512k
    Makin Island 243k PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) returns to Northrop Grumman's shipyard at Pascagoula, MS., 20 March 2009 after completing US Navy acceptance sea trial in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship is the eighth USS Wasp (LHD-1)-class amphibious assault ship being built Northrop Grumman at its Gulf Coast facilities in Pascagoula, MS.
    Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation    		 Bill Gonyo
    Makin Island 357k US Navy Sailors and Northrop Grumman shipbuilders together manned the flight deck PCU Makin Island (LHD-8) as Northrop Grumman Corporation's Shipbuilding sector delivered to the ship to the US Navy at Pascagoula, MS, 16 April 2009.
    Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation    		 Bill Gonyo
    Makin Island (LHD-8) Memorabilia
    Makin Island
    Christening Coin
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri    		 Makin Island
    Christening Program
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    There is no DANFS history available for Makin Island (LHD-8) an the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Makin Island LHD-8
    Amphibious Assault Ships - LHA/LHD/LHA(R)
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Amphibious Assault Ship (Multi-Purpose) (LHD) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 24 April 2009