USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a modern American universal amphibious assault ship. The keel for this unit was laid in 1991, the launch took place in August 1993, and the entry into service with the US Navy took place in 1995. The ship is 257 meters long, 32 meters wide, and has a full displacement of about 41,000 tons. The maximum speed of the ship is around 23-24 knots. The unit has on-board armament such as: two 20 mm Vulcan Phalanx sets or two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers. The ship can also use up to 25-27 manned aircraft.
USS Boxer (LHD-4) is one of the Wasp class units. The ships of this type were created to replace the Tarawa-class units, but in their construction they used a lot of experience gained from their operation. The main task of Wasp ships is landing operations. For this purpose, they have been adapted to transport about 2,000 US Marine Corps soldiers with full equipment, who can be disembarked by helicopters, landing barges or hovercraft, also carried by this type of landing craft. Due to their size, they can act as light aircraft carriers and are adapted to operate with AV-8 Harrier II or F-35B Ligthning II aircraft. The fourth vessel of this class - USS Boxer (LHD-4) - was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. The unit operated in the Pacific region since 1997. In 2003, she actively supported the actions of US troops in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the same year, she returned to the USA to operate again in the Persian Gulf in 2004. In 2016, the USS Boxer operated in the Yemen area under the cover of the destroyers USS Gravely and USS Gonzalez. In the same year, he supported operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The unit is still in active service.