Rubber from the tires of a MV-22 Osprey touches the

Rubber from the tires of a MV-22 Osprey touches the flight deck of the future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) for the first time ever shortly after her departure from Engle ship yard in Pascagoula, Miss., July 11, 2014. America is carrying Marines and Sailors from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force South on her transit around the South American continent. The SPMAGTF will utilize the MV-22 to transport Marines and Sailors from ship to shore for all of their partner-nation engagements. The America-class amphibious assault ship represents the Navy’s emphasis on increasing the aviation capacity of future big-deck amphibious assault ships in order to accommodate the next generation of rotary wing and VSTOL (vertical/short takeoff and landing) aircraft, such as the MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, adding a significant boost to the speed and agility of our maritime forces. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Christopher J. Moore/Released)