Dock landing ship
Encyclopedia
A Dock landing ship or Landing ship (Dock) (hull classification
LSD) is a form of amphibious warship designed to support amphibious operations
. These amphibious assault ship
s transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel. In the United States Navy
, two related groups of vessels are in service, the and es, mainly used to carry Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs), operate helicopters, and carry Marines. The Royal Navy
also operates three ships of the .
The first LSD came from a design by Sir Rowland Baker who had designed the British Landing Craft, Tank. It was an answer to the problem of launching small craft rapidly. The "Landing Ship Stern Chute", which was a converted train ferry, was an early attempt. Thirteen Landing Craft Mechanized
(LCM) could be launched from these ships down the chute. The Landing Ship Gantry was a converted tanker with a crane to transfer its cargo of landing craft from deck to sea - 15 LCM in a little over half an hour.
The design was developed and built in the US for the USN and the Royal Navy
. The LSD could carry 36 LCM at 16 knots. It took one and a half hours for the dock to be flooded down and two and half to pump it out. When flooded they could also be used as docks for repairs to small craft.
:; Little Creek
, Virginia
; San Diego
, California
; Little Creek, Va.; Little Creek, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; Sasebo, Japan
; San Diego, Calif.; Little Creek, Va.
:; Sasebo, Japan.; Little Creek, Va.; Little Creek, Va.; San Diego, Calif.
LSD-9 through LSD-12 are Casa Grande class ships built for the British
: (LSD-13) through (LSD-27): (LSD-28) through (LSD-35): (LSD-36) through (LSD-40)
Hull classification symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
LSD) is a form of amphibious warship designed to support amphibious operations
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
. These amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
s transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel. In the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, two related groups of vessels are in service, the and es, mainly used to carry Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs), operate helicopters, and carry Marines. The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
also operates three ships of the .
History
The LSD came as a result of a British requirement during the Second World War for a vessel that could carry large landing craft across the seas at speed.The first LSD came from a design by Sir Rowland Baker who had designed the British Landing Craft, Tank. It was an answer to the problem of launching small craft rapidly. The "Landing Ship Stern Chute", which was a converted train ferry, was an early attempt. Thirteen Landing Craft Mechanized
Landing Craft Mechanized
The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
(LCM) could be launched from these ships down the chute. The Landing Ship Gantry was a converted tanker with a crane to transfer its cargo of landing craft from deck to sea - 15 LCM in a little over half an hour.
The design was developed and built in the US for the USN and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The LSD could carry 36 LCM at 16 knots. It took one and a half hours for the dock to be flooded down and two and half to pump it out. When flooded they could also be used as docks for repairs to small craft.
United States Navy current
Currently there are two classes of LSDs in the United States Navy::; Little Creek
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
; San Diego
Naval Station San Diego
Naval Base San Diego is the largest base of the United States Navy on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of 54 ships and over 120 tenant commands. The base is composed of 13 piers stretched...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; Little Creek, Va.; Little Creek, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; Sasebo, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; San Diego, Calif.; Little Creek, Va.
:; Sasebo, Japan.; Little Creek, Va.; Little Creek, Va.; San Diego, Calif.
USN former
: (LSD-1) through (LSD-8)LSD-9 through LSD-12 are Casa Grande class ships built for the British
: (LSD-13) through (LSD-27): (LSD-28) through (LSD-35): (LSD-36) through (LSD-40)
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
:- RFA Largs Bay (L3006)RFA Largs Bay (L3006)RFA Largs Bay is a Bay class landing ship dock that served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 2006 to 2011. The vessel was built by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. She was named after Largs Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland, and entered service in 2006...
- Sold to the Royal Australian Navy - RFA Lyme Bay (L3007)RFA Lyme Bay (L3007)RFA Lyme Bay is a Bay class auxiliary landing ship dock of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary . Ordered from Swan Hunter in 2000, the ship was launched in 2005. However, cost overruns and delays saw the shipbuilder removed from the project, and the incomplete ship was towed to Govan for finishing...
- RFA Mounts Bay (L3008)RFA Mounts Bay (L3008)RFA Mounts Bay is a Bay class auxiliary landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She is named after Mount's Bay in Cornwall.-Design and construction:...
- RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009)RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009)RFA Cardigan Bay is a Bay-class landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary . Built by BAE Systems, the ship was dedicated into the RFA at the end of 2006. Cardigan Bay is active as of 2011.-Design and construction:...