Volume I Issue ?

CONTENTS
Amphibious Assault Ships
leume d'fuc' Clus Helicopter Canier r22
'Owagan' Clus landing Ships Dock (TCD) t22
'Ropucha' Class l,anding Ships Tank 123
'Alligato/ Class landing Ships Tank 123
Soviet Naval Infantry andAil Cushion Vehicles t24
'lvan Rogov' Class Amphibious Transport Docks ([PD) I25
'Frosch' Class L,anding Ships Tank r25
The Soviet Amphibious Assault 126
lancelot' and 'Sir Bedivere' Class landing Ships loglstc (l^St)
'Sir lm
'Feuless'Class Amphibioru Trursport Dock ([PD) 128
FearJess in Action: Battle for the Falklands t29
USAmphibious Forces 134
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The 1982 conflict in the Falklaztd Islands has demonstrated
that today, re in the Pacific opetatiotts or invasion of
occtzpied Europe &tring World War II, the atnphibious task
force is still one of the most elfective methods of proiecting
power ovet long distances.
Amphibious warfare ships have been in service since before Christ: the
Romans, for example, used such vessels to transport elements of their
legions in cross-Channel raids in the 1st century BC before their invasion
of Britain in the Ist century AD, Since then the art and tactics of conduct-
rrg amphibious assaults have been continually refined, World War II
from 1939 to 1945 being a peak in the evolution. Particularly in their
Pacific isiand-hopping campargns, the Americans created new designs
of ships and equipment for amphibious landings. The war also proved
the idea ol strategic landings, such as those conducted during the June
1944 D-Day assault on Normandy, in whrch whole armies and their
resources were committed in an invasion to garn a specific strategic
objective. When this war flnished the lessons learnt were applied in the
I950s to the American landing at Inchon in the Korean War and to the
Anglo-French landing at Suez in 1956. This latter landrng saw the use of
helicopters by the Royal Navy in the helicopter assault role.
The Americans digested the data from these conJlicts and then pro-
duced the multi-role ship concept of the modem Landing Ship Dock
(LSD), Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD) and Amphibious Helicopter
Carrier (LPH), in which a singrle hull could combine the roles that were
previously undertaken by several ships, The object was both to improve
the amphiblous force's capabilities and to decrease the number of
vessels in a force. The Vietnam War allowed some validation of these
designs and of the combat use of helicopters and resuited in the ultimate
in very large multi-purpose ships, namely the 'Tarawa' class of LHA and
the new amphlbious assault dock (LHD) class that is under construction.
Both these classes are virtuaily self-contained in practically all the
equipment required to conduct a landhg.
In order to operafe al fhe susfajned
20-kt speed ot modern US
amphibious squadrons, the latest
LSTs no longer have bow doors, and
vehicles are unloaded over the
pointed bow by means of a ramp.
The most recent amphibior-u operatlons were conducted in 1982 as
parts of the Falkland Islands war and the Israeli invasion of southern
Lebanon. The former was a classic by the Royal Navy in terms of the
projection of an amphibious assault force over I1250 km (7000 miles) and
then the undertaking of the assault wrthout the loss of any amphibious
warfare vessel in an operational area only some 650 km (400 miles) from
the enemy coast. The Israelis demorstrated that the Soviet operational
tactic (supporting ground forces by laading battalion-sled and iargrer
formations of mechanized infantry rn the enemy's rear to seize specific
objectives and to cut lines of communication and supply) works ex-
tremely well in practice,
One disadvantage of the amphibious assault is that it is relatively siow
in its approach, although the Americans have solved this somewhat by
thd use of prepositioned merchant ships carrying the heavy equipment
and supplies required, the US Marrnes to be kitted out with the equip-
ment being flown into a friendly country near the scene of the confllct to
marry up with it at a suitable port. The disadvantage of this rs that friendly
countries are required to grve facilitres, whereas the amphibrous task
icrce is virtually autonomous within the operational area, The latest
addition to the amphibious warfare armoury is the Air Cushion Vehicle
(ACV) to provide very rapld and relatively safe beach assault capabili-
ties. The Soviet navy is the world's leading exponent of this tactic with
some four types of ACV in service. The Americans are in the process of
rntroducing this type into service over the next few years.
The amphibious assaultshipHMS Fearless and f/reV/STOL carrierHMS
Hermbs comple te the transfers of assault units immediately prior to the British
assault on the Falkland Islands.
m Ti5""" d'Arc'Class Helicopter Carrier
The single vessel of the Jea-rure d Arc'
class was laid down at Brest Naval
Dockyard in 1960, launched in 1961
and commissioned in 1964. Although
used in peacetime as a training ship for
192 officer cadets, /eanne d'erc G97)
can be rapidly converted for wMime
use as an amphrbious assault, anti-
submarine warfare or froop transport
vessel. The helicopter piaform is 62 m
(203 4 ft) wide and is connected to the
hangar deck by a I22IB kq (26,935-1b)
capacity elevator located at the after
end of the flight deck. The deck is
capable of flying-on two A6rospatiale
SA 32 I Super Frelon heavy-lift helicop-
ters and can accommodate a firrther
four parked, The hanqar, with some
internal modificatrons, can accorrrmo-
date a further eight helicopters. At the
aft end extensive machine, inspection
and maintenance workshops are sited
with weapon handling rooms and
magazines for the armaments carried
by the helicopters. In the commando-
carrier or troop{ransport role the ship
has facilities for a 700-man rnfantry
battalion with light equipment in her
ful1y air-conditioned interior, France
has a 9,230-man marine division and
four naval commando assault units (in-
cluding one reserve) available for use
from its amphrbious warfare ships,
A modular type action rnformation
and operations room with a SENIT-2
computerized tactical data handlingr
g%
re iU,rr"n"n'Class Landingships Dock (TcD)
The 'Ouragan' class of dock landing
ship rs used both for amphibious war-
faie and loQtistic transport by the
French. They are fitted with a 120-m
(397.7-ft) lonqwell dock that has a stern
gate measuring 14 m (45.9 ft) by 5,5 m
(18 ft). The well dock can accorrrmo-
date two 670{on full load EDIC LCTs
(carrying 1I light tanks, or I I trucks or
five LVTs) or lB LCM6s (carrying 30
tons of cargo or vehicles). Above the
well deck is a 36-m (79,4-ft) long sx-
section removable helicopter deck
capa-ble of operating one A6rospatiale
Super Frelon heavy{ift helicopter or
three A6rospatiale Alouette utility heh-
copters, If required, a 9O-m (295.3-ft)
long temporary deck can also be fitted
to stow carQlo or vehicles, but its use
reduces the number of landlng craft
carried as half the weil deck is taken
up. If used with this extra deck as a
logistic transport then the total cargo
capacity of the vessel becomes some
1,500 tons. This can compnse erther 18
Super Frelon or B0 Alouette helicop-
ters, or 120 AMX-I3 light tanks or 84
DUKW amphibious vehicles or 340
jeeps or 12 50{on bargTes. There is a
permanent helicopter deck for up to
three Super Frelons or l0 Alouettes
located next to the starboard bridge
area, Two 35-ton capacity cranes
handle the heavy equipment carrled.
Each of the two ships also has com-
mand and control facilities to operate
as amphibious force flagships, They
also carry an extensive range ofreparr
i22
system is fitted, together with a sepa-
rate helicopter control bridge and a
combined command and control cen-
tre for amphibious warfare operations.
On each side of the firnnel two LCVPs
are normally carried.
.Specification:
Name: Jeanne d'Arc
Cominissioned: I July 1964
Displacement: 12,365 tons frrl1 load
Dimensions: length IB2 m (597, 1 ft);
beam 24m (7B.7ft); draught 7,3m
(24 ft)
Propulsion: two qteared steam turbines
deliverinq 40,000 shp to tvuo shafts
Speed: 26.5 kts
Complement: 627 (3i officers plus 596
enhsted men)
Troops: 700
Cargo: eight Super Frelon heavyJift Above : The French navy's helicopter
helicopters in hangar plus further six carn'erlearme d'Arc. Used as a
on deck; four LCVPs tr aining ship in pe acetime, she c an
Armament: four single I00 mm DP be rapidly converted inwailime to a
gmns, six single MM,3B Exocet surface- commando ship, ASW helicopter
to-surface missile launcher-containers carrier or troop transport.
Electronics: one DRBV 22D air-search
radar, one DRBV 50 surface-search
radar, one DRBI l0 height-finder
radar, one DRBN 32 navrgatlon radar,
three DRBC 324 fire-control systems, Below : C ommissioned in I 9 64, the
one URN 6 TACAN, one SQS 503 sonar, Jearme d'Arc rs equipped to act as an
two Syllex electronlc countermea- amphibious command ship to
sures rocket-launchers, one SENIT-Z transport a battalion of marines, or to
data system operate up to I 4 Super Frelon
helicopters.
Specification:
and maintalnance workshops to sup- Cargo: 1,500 tons as logistic transporti
port the units embarked, Troop Names: Ouragan (L9021) and Orage two LCTs, or lB LCMs plus 3 LCVP for
accommodation is provided for 349 (L9022) amphibrous operations
men under normal condrtions, Commissioned: L9021 I June 1965; Arinament: four singrle 40-mm AA
although 470 can be carrted for short L9022 I April 1968 Enms, two 120-mm mortars (L9021 only)
distances, Three LCVPs are carried as Displacement: 8,500 tons fuI1 load Electronics: one DRBN 32 naviention
deck cargo. Dimensions: length 149 m (488.9 ft); radar, one SQS 17 sonar (L9021 only)
The Orage (1,9022) is allotted to the beam 23 m (75,4 ft); draught 5,4 m
French Paciflc nuclear experimental (17.7 ft)
centre as the logrstic trarsport to and Propulsion: two diesels deliveringr
from France, It is also employed as the 8,600hp to two shafts
centre's floating headquarters, em- Speed: 17 kts U sed for both amphibious warfare
ploying a modular facility within the Complement:211 (10 officers plus 201 and as a logristic lransporf, Ouragtan
well deck area. Both the Orage and enlisted men) is capable of deploying and
Ouragan (1,9021) are due to be re- Troops: 349 (i4 officers plus 335 en- supporting half a battalion of
placed in the late 1980s. listed men) normal, or 470 overload marines (349 men).
L Yfrtp,rcrra'Class Landing Ships Tank
Designated Bol'shoy Desantnyy
Korabl'(BDK) or large landing ship by
the Soviets, the'Ropucha' class has
been rn series production at the Polish
Polnocny shipyard, Gdansk since 1975
for the Soviet navy, The class is de-
signed for ro11-on/roll-off operations
with both bow and stern doors, The
630 m2 (6,780 sq ft) vehicle deck
stretches througthout the conventional
LST-type hull. T\ro spaces for multiple
rocket{aunchers are provided for-
ward. Some unlts have had four quad-
rupte SA-N-S 'Grail' SAM launchers
fitted to supplement the two turin 57-
mm AA gn:ns carried. The multi-level
superstructure has been specially
built to accommodate the 230 men of
two Soviet Naval Infantry companies
for extended periods, This, together
with the capacity for carrying 24 AFVs
or 450 tons ofcargo, allows the Sovlet
navy to employ these shlps on distant
ocean operations. There are currently
some 13 in sewice with the Soviet
navy, whilst another was transferred to
the Peopie's Democratic Republic of
Yemen in 1979, The burlding rate is
currently assessed at two per year,
and ail those built have minor differ-
ences ln appearance,
Amphibious Assault Ships
The'Ropucha' C/asscan
accommodate two companies (230
men) of SovietNaval Infanfuy for
extended periods, allowing the USSR
naval assault capacity far from Soviet
homewaters.
Specification:
Class number: 13, plus more building
Displacement: 4,400 tons fulI load
Dimensions: lenqth 1I0m (360ft);
beam 14,5m (47.6ft); draught 3.6m
(11.5 ft)
Propulsion: four diesels delivering
10,000 hp to two shfts
Speed: 17 kts
Complement:70
Troops: 230
Cargo: 24 AFVs or 450 tons of stores
Armament: trro tvrrin 57-mm AA quns,
and four quadrupie SA-N-S SAM laun-
chers on some units
Electronics: one'Don-2' navigation
radar, one 'Strut Cuwe' air-search
radar, one 'Muff Cob' 57-mm gnrn fire-
control radar, one 'High Pole-B' IFF
system

Below :'Ropucha' - class LST ; all

vesse,ls of tlris c/a ss have minor
differences in appearance. They Above : A s tarboard view of a
have a higher troop-to-vehicle
' Ropuch a' -class LST. Late s t
ratio than the earlier'Alligator' intelligence estimates credit the
class. Soviets with I 6 of these craft in
service, with more building in
Gdansk,Poland.

L liitigator' Class Landingships Tank

Designated B o1'shoy DesantnYY
Korab.l'(BDK) or iarge landinq ship by
the Soviets, the l4-ship'Alligatot' ciass
was built at the Kalingrad shipyard be-
hveen 1964 and 1977. During this time
the roll-on/roll-off bow and stem door
desigm evolved to form four distinct
sub-classes. The first tlvo seies are
primarily for the transport role whllst
the remaininq two are primarily for the
over-the-beach assault role, The latter
two classes have a navalized split 40-
round BM-21 |22-mm rockellauncher
pedestal mount fitted for shore bom-
bardment prtrposes. The deck crane
equipment also varies within the
variants: Type I has one 15-ton capac-
ity and two S-ton capacity cranes,
whilst TYpes Ii, IIi and IV have only
one l5-ton capacrty crane. The Type
III also has a raised superstructure and
a forward deckhouse for the rocket-
launcher; the TYpe IV is similar to the
Type III but with additlonal 25-mm AA
gmns.
The ships are designed to carqr the
equipment requrred by a Naval Infan-
try battallon landinq team, although the
ships can also accommodate a Naval
Infantry company for iong periods, The
vehicle parking area includes the up-
per deck, and both the SA-9 'Gaskin'
SAM mounted on the BRDM-2 and the
tracked ZSU-23-4 AA gnrn system have
been observed on thrs deck, operating
in pairs to supplement the ship's nor-
mal AA amament. Most of the class
are currently being fitted wtth two
quadruple SA-N-S 'Grarl' SAM close-
range launchersystems. The Type IVs
have rn additron two 25-mm AA gnm
mountings on the centrelile abaft the
bridgre superstructure. The class regt-
ularly operates off the coastline of
West Ajnca, in the Mediterranean and
the Indian Ocean.
Specification:
Class numbers: four Tlpe I, tvuo Type
II, six Type III and two TYpe IV
Commissioned: 1966 to 1977
Displacement: 4,500 tons full load
Dimensions: iength i14m (374ft);
beam i5.5 m (50,8 ft); draught 4.5 m
(14,7 ft)
Propulsion: two diesels delivering
bhp to two shafts
9,000
Speed: lB kts
Complement: 100
Troops: I20 normai, 250 overload
Cargo: typically 50 AFVs
Armament: one twrn 57-mm AA gu4
two twin 25-mm A.A gnms (TYpe IV
only), one 4O-round 122-mm rocket-
launcher (TYpes III and IV), two quad-
ruple SA-N-S SAM launchers being
fitted in most
Electronics: tvvo 'Don Kay' or one 'Don-
2' and one 'Spin Trough' navigation
radars, one 'Muff Cob' 57-mm fire-
control radar in some, one 'High Pole-
B' IFF system

An'Alligator' -class ISI of tlre Sovief

navy. Built infour sub-variants, the
l4-ship class regrularly operates off
West Africa and in the
M editerranean and I ndian Ocean.

Soviet Naval lnfcntrg
Air Cushionvehicles
Following the Russian revolution in 1917 and durinq tne ersJing Civil War of
1917 to \gZZ the first Soviet naval inlantry units we"re fo.rred. T"hjs Force was
disbanded at the conclusion of the Civil War and not re-established until 1939.
The peak force level reached was around 500,000 during World War ll; after-
wards the force was reduced in size and numbers until tt was disbanded
sometime in the mid-1950s. No indication of its third re-establishment was
noticed until after 1964. By 1977 the new Naval lnfantry had expanded to its
present strength of 12,000 irren; these are organized into five regiments, which
are operationally subordinated to the Soviet Navy fleet commanders. One
regiment is attached to each of the Northern, Baltic jnd Black Sea Fleets, whilst
the remaining two form a divisional grouping in the Pacific Fleet The 2,000-man
strong regiments follow the triangular organization of the Soviet army motorized
rifle regiment, with the exception tha{ its tank baitalion has a company of
medium tanks in addition to three companies of PT-76 light amphibious tanks. ln
1982 the regiments underwent a reoi'ganization proqrimme to increase their
organic firepower. Additional medium tanks, BM-21 multiple rocket,launchers,
and anti-tank guided missiles were added, together with the first tube artillery in
the form of the M1974 122-mm self-propelled gun. Before this artillery support
was limited to that provided by naval gunfire, plus BM-21 and amphibious ship
rocket fire.
Battalion Assault Force
As witn all Soviet forces, the Naval Infantry can be qu crly expanded in
wartime by the mobilization of trained reserve personnel and stoikpiled reserve
equipment. The basis of the regiment is the battalion, made up of three infantry
companies, a mortar platoon. and supporting supply and maintainance, medical
and communications units. When reinforced the battalion constitutes the main
amphibious assault unit, the Battalion Assault Force (BAF) The company is
divibed into a small headquarters unit and three platoons, each of whlch has
three squads carried in BTR-60 APCs. The medium tanks are usually assigned on
the basis of one platoon of three tanks to support a naval rnfantry company. The
,Insenrcesrnce 1952,thePT-T6lighttankhasexcellentamphibiousqualities.
,ceen ft ere bern g loaded onto a'Polnocny'-class LCT of the Baltic Fleet, the
?T-76 provides firesupport tothe firstwaves ofan assaull.
An 'Aist'-class air cushion vessel of
cnd the Soviet navy. Currently still in
production at Leningnad,'Ajsf'-class
vessels bear the Soviet designation
Maly desantnyy korabl' na vJzdushnoy
podushke (sma 1l air cushion vehicle).
medium tanks usually disembark in shallow water behind the PT-76 and BTR-60
first or second assault waves. One platoon of medium tanks is beiieved to be
equipped with the flamethrower version of the T-54l55 MBT for reduction of
strongpoints.
The primary mission of the Naval lnfantry rs the amphibious assault. This is
divided into several categories depending upon the scale and mission of the
landings. The categories are, firstly, strategic landings which are conducted in
support oi lheatre forces lo open up a new front of operations {though the
Sovrets are believed not to have developed this capability as yet and probably
will not for the foreseeable future). Secondly, there are oieraiional laridings to
assist ground or naval forces in coastal areas to surround and destroy eriemy
ground or naval units, or to cqpture major objectives within the area (usually a
regimental-sized ooeration). Thirdly, there are tactical landings to strike at the
rear or flank of enemy units along a coastline or to capture spdcific oblectives (a
battalion- or regimental-sized operation). Fourthlv, there are reconnais'sance and
sabotage landings to reconnoitie areas. to inflict significant material and installa-
tion losses, and to create diversions (a battalion-, company- or platoon-sized
operation).
The secondary role assigned to the Naval lnfantry is to participate in coastal
defence-operations. However, in practice this is rarely likely to occur as it is a
waste of a valuable combat resource.
One unique feature of the operations is the extensive use of amphibious-
assault air-cushion vehicles. There are currently four types available. The smal-
lest oI these is t.he 'Gus' class, of which there aTe some 33 in service with the
Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific Fleets. The 'Lebed' class is in service with the Baltic
and Pacitic Fleets for initial assault and logistic support duties; around 12 are in
service with more being. built. Both the Gus' and the 'Lebed' (in a preloaded
state) can be used from the 'lvan Rogov' class LPD. The largest ACV in use is the
'Aist' class, of which some 'l 3 are in iervice with the Baltic-and Black Sea Fleets.
Additional units are under construct;on, together with the new 'Uterok' class
which is the follow-on to the 'Gus' class. Sbme four 'Uteroks' are currently in
service.
Standard APC of the Soviet Naval I nfantry, the BTR-60P hasbeen rn usesince
abou t I 9 60. F ully amphibiou s, it has been produce d both with an open top
andwith an armoured top allowing fulINEC protection.
ffi :iu"" Rogov' Class Amphibious Transport Docks (LPD)
Given the designation Bo)'shoy De-
santnyy Korabl'(BDK) or large landing
craft by the Soviets, theftzarRogrovwas
launched in 1976 at the Kalingrrad ship-
yard, The vessel entered servrce in
I97B as the largest amphibious warfare
ship yet built by the Sovrets, A second
unit of the lvan Rogov ciass was laid
down in 1979 but has apparently suf-
fered delays in its construction. The
vessel is capable of carrying a rein-
forced Navai Infantry battalion landilg
team with all its APCs and other vehi-
cles plus 10 PT-76 light amphibtous
tanks. An alternative load is the tank
battalion of the Soviet Naval Infantry
regrment, The lvan Rogtov is umque in
Sovret amphibious ship design as it has
both a well dock and a helicopter
flightdeck and hangar. This allows the
ship to perform not only the tradrtional
role of over{he-beach assault by use
of bow doors and ramp, but also the
stand-offassault role using a mixhrre of
helicopters, landinq craft, air cushion
vehicles and amphibious vehicles.
The bow doors and internal ramp
position provrde access to a vehicle
parkinq deck iocated in the lower for-
ward part of the ship, Further vehicles
can be accommodated in the midships
area of the upper deck, access to this
being by hydraulically operated
ramps that lead from the bow doors
and the docking well. The vehicle
deck itself leads directly into the flood-
able well whlch is some 79 m (259,2 ft)
long with a stern door some 13 m
(42.6 ft) across. The well can
accommodate either two preloaded
'Lebed' class air cushion vehicles
(ACV) and a l4Ston firll load'Ondatra'
class LCM, or three 'Gus' class ACV
assault troop carriers.
Two helicopter landing spots are
provided, one forward wlth its ovm
flight control station, and one aff on a
flight deck located above the well
deck, This also has its own flight con-
trol station. Both spots have access to
the massive block superstructure; the
Tfie.LPD lvan Rogov.
Ire,
I
b-L-...-=., .-l :-i
@ iloliit'Class Landinsships Tank
The 'Frosch I' class ships are similar
but not identical to the Soviet 'Ropucha'
ciass of LST. They are smaller, have a
blunter bow shape and are fitted with a
bow ramp and a much heavrer arma-
ment (two tu/in 57-mm and two twin
30-mm). The 12-ship class was built
between 1975 and 1979 to replace the
obsolete 'Robbe' and 'Labo' classes of
landing ships. The single vehicle deck
is capable of transporting some 800
tons of cargo orup to 12 MBTs. Thereis
no roll-on/roll-off capability due to the
absence of stem vehicle ramps. For-
ward, on the empty deck space be-
trrveen the bridgie and the forward hvin
57-mm mountinq, two 122-mm 40-
round navalized split BM-21 pedestal
rocket-launcher moultinqs have been
fitted for saturatron shore-
bombardment purposes. The 'Frosch I'
forward pad by a ramp leading up to
the hanger and the aft by a set of haa-
qar doors, The hanqar has sufficient
space for up to five Kamov Ka-25 'Hor-
mone-C' utility helicopters to be
stowed. It is probabie that these wlll
eventually be replaced by the utility
version of the new Kamov Ka-32 'Helix'
helicopter that rs curently entenng
serrnce wrth the Soviet navy. Accom-
modatlon for the embarked Naval in-
fantry units is located within the super-
struch.re block itself. Vehicle and heli-
copter maintenance workshops are
also located there, To starboard, im-
mediately in front of the block is a tall
deck house on top of whrch is mounted
a navalized version of the Soviet army's
122-mm BM-ZI rocket-launcher sys-
tem. This uses tvvo 20-round packs of
launcher hrbes, one to each side of a
pedestal mounting that trains them in
azimuth and elevation. The rockets are
used to provide a saturation shore
bombardment capability for the
assault units, A ftrin 76-mm DP gnrn
tufiet is located on the forecastle,
whiist a hvin rail pop-up SA-N-4 SAM
iauncher bin unit and four 30-mm
CIWS Gatling gmns are mountedontop
of the main superstructure block to
provide au defence. Extensive com-
mand, control and suweillance equrp-
ment ls fitted for amphibious force
flagship duties. The Ivan Rogrov hx
served wrth the Baltrc and Pacific fleets
and it rs thouetht likely that a total of four
will be built, permitting one to serve
with each of the four fleet commands.
? Propu]sion: two gas turbines deliver-
may also be used for mineiaying, the
mines being laid through two stem
hatches. The presence of a large num-
ber ofradio antennae sugqtests that the
vessels can also. undertake amphi-
bious operation command and control
duties. In 1980 tlvo additional units, de-
signated'Frosch II', were built at the
same Peenewerft shipyard at Wolerast
that built the 'Frosch I'shtps, These
differ from the original class tn having a
S{on capacity crane amidships and
hvo iarqe carqo hatches. No rocket-
launchers or 30-mm AA guns are car-
ried, although two twin 25-mm AA
gurs are mounted right forward to cov-
er the beach during a landing. It is
thought that these craft act as assault
cargo ships during amphibious opera-
tions, possibly carryinq munitions. The
East Germans have no naval infantry
A.bove : The first Soviet LPD, lft e Ivan
Rogov. Capab,le of transporting a
reinforced N aval I nIantry battalion,
the ship also operates four or five
'Hormone-C' helicopters, several air
cuslrrbn vefticles and an LCM.
Rr'ght: Tft e Ivan Rogovftasbeen gnven
the Soviet designafibn Bol'shoy
desantnyy korabl (large landing ship).
In I 982 the second ship of the class,
Aleksarrdr Nikolaev, was completed
at the naval shipyard in Kalingrad.
Specification:
Name: lvan Rogorz plus three(?) others
under constructlon
Commissioned: l97B
Displacement: 13,000 tors fuI] load
Dimensions: iength 159 m (52i.6 ft);
beam 24,5m (B0.2ft); draught 6,5m
(zt 2 fr)
ing 45,000 shp to two shafts
Speed: 26 kts
Complement: 250
Troops: 550
Cargo: typrcally 40-50 AFVs; two
'Lebed' class ACVs ph.rs one 'Ondatra'
class LCM or three 'Gus' class ACVs;
five'Hormone-C' helicopters
Armament: one twrn SA-N-4 SAM laun-
cher, one twin 76-mm DP gnrn, four 30-
mm ADG6-30 AA guns, one 4O-round
but instead have trained a motorized
rifle regiment (believed to be the 26th)
of three motorized rifle battalions and a
tank battalion to act rn the amphibious
assault role, The East Germans also
operate with the Pohsh army's 7th Sea
landing Division of three assault regrim-
ents and a tank battalion and a Soviet
Naval Infantry regriment durinq War-
saw Pact amphibrous assaull exercrses
in the Baltic.
Specification:
Class number: 12 'Frosch I' and 2
'Frosch II'
Commissioned: 'Frosch I' ]976-79 and
'Frosch II' l9B0
Displacement:'Frosch I' 1,950 tons and
'Frosh I1' 2,000 tons full load
122-mm rocketlauncher
Electronics: two 'Don Kay' heltcopie:
control and navigation radars, or:
'Head Net-C' arr-search ,radar, or:
'Owl Screech' 76-mm gun f,re-contr:-
radar, one 'Pop Group' SA-N-4 missil=
fire-control radar, two 'Bass Till ADC€-
30 flre-control radars, one 'Hiqh Pole-
B' lFF system, two 'Bell Shroud' ECl"l
two '8e11 Squat' ECM and two cha-
launchers
It,
Dimensions: length 91 m (298 { ..
beam llm (36.1ft); draught 23r
(92f0
Propulsion: two diesels powerLn; :;. :
shafts
Speed: 16 kts
Complement: 40
Troops: normal 80, for limited tune -: -
Cargo: i2 MBTs, or 16 AFVs or 6l'l :----
of stores
Armament: two twrn 57-mm ,4,:. ;---.
two twin 30-mm AA gn-rrs (or 1..',: -.'.--
25-mm AA gmns in'Frosch II) .,';: -:-:
i.
barrel 122-mm rocket-launchers :,=
in 'Frosch II'). mine numl:e:s . --.
according to type carrled
Electronics: one 'Strut Cu-,i ---
search radar, one 'Square H:-': Jl
syslem, one 'High Pole-B IFF r. r:-.
one 'Mufl Cob fire-contrcl :::-- . -=
TSR333 navigation radar
The Sovief Amphibious Assauk
Soviet amphibious assault tactics are thorough, well-defined and well practised
by the Naval lnfantry, the organic amphibious forces of the Soviet navy. Their
operations fall into five parts. Firstly, there is the preparation of the equipment
and units, which are trained to begin operations either when already at sea or
from an alert state at their land base. Secondly, when alerted at the shore base
the amphibious assault units man their equipment and proceed to the embarka-
tion ports for loading onto ships and transports, which arrive shortly before the
assault force units to preclude any bunbhing of the equipment and personnel.
Durlng loading the vehicles are driven on in reverse order so that the assault
vehicles disembark first at the landing zone. Thirdly, after loading, the ships form
a convoy under the protection of escort vessels and aircraft to protect against
any enemy air and sea attacks during the transit voyage to the beach-head
designated for the force. During the passage the units' political officers address
the troops to build up theirfighting Spirit, the men check theirvehicles, weapons
and equipment, and the commanders review their missions and orders. Fourth-
ly. the battle for the beach-head is initiated when the naval gunfire support ships
open fire on the defending artillery, positions, troop concentrations and obsta-
cies. The Naval lnfantry then lands in assault formation. Fifthly, the landing of
follow-up Soviet army ground forces permits the withdrawal of the Naval
lnfantry and any supporting units.
To illustrate the last two phases a typical Soviet Naval lnfantry battalion
assault force landing is described below. The force consists of a Naval lnfantry
battaiion, a PT-76 amphibious light tank company, an engineer platoon, a recon-
naissance platoon, a mortar platoon, an anti-tank platoon and an air defence
platoon of four SA-9 'Gaskin' SAM vehicles. The force is landed to link up with a
company of Soviet army airborne troops parachuted behind the coastal de- 'Aist'-class air cushion vehicles are capable of carrying up to four PT-76light
fences. Close air support is provided by a squadron of Soviet air force fighter- tanks and 1 50 naval infantrgen. With a maximum speed of 75 mph
bombers, whilst naval vessels provide artillery support, ASW, minesweeping ( I 20 lan/ h), and true amphibious capability, the'Aist' class is a significant
and rescue services. addition to Soviet assault capacity.
The convoy of assault ships and transports transits to the operational area
under cover of darkness whilst observing strict radio silence- Once there they waves start to disembark. The squadron of newly-arrived fighter-bombers is
and their escorts deploy lnto the f inal assault formation, with the minesweepers directed to attack the defensive positions that have survived the bombardment
conducting clearance operations right up to the beach-head. As dawn breaks the and to establish combat air patrols over the landing ships and beach-head.
escorts tasked with naval gunfire support and the landing ships fitted with The first assault wave of three PT-76s with a company of naval infantry in 10
multiple rocket-launchers begin the pre-planned bombardment of the shore BTRSO APCs then disembarks and begins its swim-in to the beach. As they do
defences. Whilst this is in progress the unit commanders review their orders, so the tanks engage several positions, firing at them with their 76-mm main
conf irm that the units understand their missions, and order the equipment to be guns, while the BTR-60s fire at any enemy troops and light vehicles they see
readied for use. with their 14.S-mm heavy machineguns. The force lands without any vehicle
Under cover of the bombardment a flight of Antonov An-l 2 'Cub' four-engine
transports drops the paratroop company and its equipment into the rear of the Stage 1
defences to disrupt lines of communication, to block any approch of reinforce- Under cover ofship-to-shore bombardment a flight ofAntonovAn-12s based on friendly
ments and to secure several key features of terrain. As the airdrop is in progress soil drops an advance party ofspecial force paras to disrupt enemy communications,.delay
defensive reinforcements and secure key terrain features.
the reconnaissance troop of three BRDM-2 amphibious armoured cars and a
PT-76 light tank disembark into the surf some 600 m (655 yards) offshore and Stage2
begin their swim-in to the beach, several Soviet naval airforce Kamov Ka-25 Helicopters from landing ships and hovercraft delivercombat engineers ashore to clear
'Hormone'C' helicopters and a 'Gus' air-cushion vehicle having paved the way mines, obstructions and barriers and mark lanesforthe following assaultwaves. A
by delivering the combat engineer platoon to the landing area and its approaches reconnaissance platoon arrives on the beach-head in three BTR-60s and a PT-76.
in order to clear and mark three lanes for the assault waves. ln doing this the
engineers lose over half their numbers as dead or wounded- As the reconnaiss-
ance team lands the naval gunfire switches to engage inland targets to cover
their lnfiltration from the beach. The team remains in contact with the battalion
force commander at all times by radio whilst it is reconnoitring enemy positions
and the terrain.. The remaining engineers are meanwhile clearing of mines the
beach and routes inland, and set up a traffic-control point before the ffieult

/"4
f rJl
rious Assaulf
tf-clasr<_a-ir cushionvehicles are_gapable of carrying up to four pT_Z6light
,ls,and I 50 naval infantrymen. Witn
a maximud sfui of ZS mph
gnd true amphibious capability, the,Aisi' class is a significant
O-.Ian/ h),
lition to Saviet assault capacity.
ves start to disembark. The squadron of newly-arrived fighter-bombers is
*ted to attack the defensive positions that have survivea t6e oomoaromini
I to-establish combat air patrols over the landino ships and beach_head.
he f rrst assault wave of three PT-76s with a com-panv of naval infantrv in 10
}60 APCs then disembarks and begins its swim-in td the #;ch. A;lfie;;;
the tanks.eng_ag_e several posrtions-, firing at them withtheliT6 m;-mui;
rs, while the BTR-60s fire at any enemy iroops and light vehicles thev see
h their 14.5-mm heavy machine-guns. ihe fdrce rand6 wittro"iinv veitrtre
lgel
ler cover of ship-to-shore bombardment a flight ofAntonov An-1 2s based on friendlv
party of specialforce paras-to disrupt enemy communications, deiay
lg.q:3^.1:d^"_q199
lnsrve ret nlorcements and secu re key tertain features.
r+te2
copters from landing ships and hovercraft derivercombat engineers ashore to crear
es, obstructtons and barriers and mark lanes for the followinq-assault waves. A
nnaissance platoon arrives on the beach-head in th ree giR_6Gind i Fi_7e ' '
losses and only minor personnel casualties. The vehicles then deploy into
lrne-abreast formation and advance in order to,widen the beach-head, ihe Naval
lnfantry dismounting as necessary to neutralize dug-in enemy poiitions ifrat
:
have not been previously destroyed by gunfire or airEttack. As ifrey do this the
second wave, conf igured like the f irst, disembarks with the mortar, dnti-tank and
arr defence troops into the surf. The battalion commanderalso accompanies this
wave, leaving the control of the attack in the hands of the naval comm'anderuntit
he reaches shore. The control of the tactical air strikes and naval ounfire is also
passed to the specialist observer teams landed with the f irst wave"and who now
accurately direct the fire to support the wave's push inland.
Whilst the first wave attacks iirland the second wave lands on its left flank to
broaden the beach-head further, the battalioh commander personally directing
the accompanying support units to set up defensive posiiions to protect th6
beach-head and to engage targets as designated by the assault waves. The third
and tinal wave, again configured like the other two, is then launched with the
rear seryice units following behind This wav6 is directed by the battalion
commander, now ashore with his headquarters group, to land on the riqht flank
of the first wave. Once it achieves this and push-es f6rward to the sam; line as
the first and second waves, then the whole battalion attacks in line formation to
expand and deepen the beach-head to secure it for the follow-up formations. Sor
The rear service units which have meanwhile landed set up their resupply and PT.
casualty evacuation routes on the beach itself. mo
lnland from the beach-head the reconnaissance platoon has met up with Sol
elements of the airborne company that is advancinq towards it. Once this has
happened and the main battaiion force is judged to have met its obiective bv
clearing the routes inland, then all the units will wait rn place for the'follow-u6
formations of the Soviet army to land and relieve them. These are directed ih
their tasks and deployment by the beachmaster in order to maintain the direc-
tron and momentum of the attack inland. The surviving remnants of both the
battalion assault force and the paratroop company are-then withdrawn to the
landing ships for the return to the homd port fbr r6-equipment and regrouping
before the next assaltlt
Stage3
The first assau lt waves of naval infantry in armou red personnel carriers su Doorted bv lio ht
tanksareputashorefromseveral 'Polnocny'-classlandingships,whicncair'useitratiovi'
water and can beach well up on the shore.
Stage4
{r,
s:
11"
"@
 osses and only minor personnel casualties. The vehicles then deptoy into
ne-abreast formation and advance in orderto'widen the beach-head, the Naval
n'antry dismounting as necessary to neutralize dug-in enemy positlons that
.ave not been previously destroyed by gunfire or air attack. As they do this the
second wave. conf igured like the f irst, disembarks with the mortar, anti-tank and
e r def ence troops into the surf . The battalion commander also accompanies this
wave, Ieaving ihe control of the attack in the hands of the naval commander until
re reaches shore. The control of the tactical air strikes and naval gunfire is also
rassed to the specialist observer teams landed with the f irst wave and who now
accurately direct the fire to support the wave's push inland.
Whilst the first wave attacks inland the second wave lands on its left flank to
rroaden the beach-head further, the battalion commander personally directing
:ne accompanying support units to set up defenslve positions to protect the
ceach-head and to engage targets as designated by the assault waves. The third
and final wave. again configured like the other two, is then launched with the
'ear service units following behind. This wave is directed by the battalion
commander, now ashore with his headquarters group, to land on the right flank
of the first wave. Once it achieves this and pushes forward to the same line as
ihe first and second waves, then the whole battalion attacks in line formation to
expand and deepen the beach-head to secure it for the follow-up formations. S_ovie,tNavallnfantry coming ashore from'Polnocny'-class tandingships.With
The rear service units which have meanwhile landed set up their resupply and PT-76light tanks prouiding covering fire and BTR-60P APCs providing
casualty evacuation routes on the beach itself. mobility, the Naval Infantry are reputed to be amongst the best troop, in the
Inland from the beach-head the reconnaissance platoon has met up with Soviet armed forces.
elements of the airborne company that is advancing towards it. Once this has
nappened and the main battalion force is judged to have met its objective by
clearing the routes inland, then all the units will wait in place for the follow-up
iormations of the Soviet army to land and relieve them. These are directed in
their tasks and deployment by the beachmaster in order to maintain the direc-
tion and momentum of the attack inland. The surviving remnants of both the
cattalion assault force and the paratroop company are then withdrawn to the
:anding ships for the return to the home port for re-equipment and regrouping
before the next assault.
Stage 3
The first assault waves of naval infantry in armoured person nel ca rriers supported by I ight
ta n ks are put ashore from several 'Polnocnylclass landing ships, which can use shaliow
water and can beach well up on the shore.

Stage4

#:

sS
f ii, l,"r,"elot' and'Sir Bedivere' Class Landing Ships Logistic (tSL)
The Sir Lancelol was ordered in 1963
as the prototype 'Sir Lancelot' class
ship of an eventual sx-ship LST type
desigm for the British army. The re-
maininq flve ships were built to a
slightiy modified desigrn and called the
'Sir Bedivere'class, all six ships being
named after the knights of Klng
Arthur's 'round table'. Since then Au-
stralia has built HMAS Tobruk to a
modified'Su Bedlvere' deslqn. In 1970
the army ships passed to the control of
the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), which
mans them today. During the Falk-
lands war all six ships were used, and
both the Sir Galahad arl,d Sir Tristram
were severely damaged by Argentt-
nian bombs at Blu-ff Cove, the former
being subsequently towed out and
sunk and the latter being towed back
to the UK for repair after use as an
accommodation ship at Port Stanley,
Built into the bow and stern are
ramps and doors for a roll-or/roll-off
capability and over-the-beach assault
facrlity, whllst interior ramps connect
the two cargo decks, Onboard arb
facilities for vehicle maintenance, and
two Mexeflottes can be carried on the
hull sides for use as pontoons to ferry
troops and vehicles ashore. A helicop-
ter ianding platform is located at the
stem, with a second pad available on
the foredeck, No hangar or mainte-
nance faciiities are carried. A replace-
ment for the .S-r7 Galahad is to be
ordered, whrlst in the interim two com-
mercial roll-on/ro1l-off vehicle ferries
have been obtained as replacements.
The'Sir Lancelot' and 'Sir Bedivere'
classoILSL. Mannedby theRFA, the
LSLs were heauily committed to the
F alklands war. One tie Sir Galahad,
was lostwhilst another, theSir
Tristraro suffered su cfi severe
damage that she will have to be a
rebuilt.
Specification:
Names: Sir Lancelot (L3029) Sir Bedi-
rere (L3004), Sir Geraint (L3027) and
Sr Percjral (13036)
Commissioned: L3029 16 January 1964,
L3004 B May 1967, L3027 12 July 1967
and L3036 23 March 1968
Displacement: L3029 5,550 tons and
rest 5,674 tons firll load
Dimensions: lenqth 125.1 m (412, I ft);
beam 19.6m (59.Bft); draught 4.3m
(r3 ff)
Propulsion: two dieseis deliveringr
9,400bhp (L3029 9,520bhp) to two
shafts
Speed: 17 kts
Complement: 69 (lB officers and 5l
men)
Troops: 340 normal, 534 maxrmum
Cargo: maximum 18 MBTs and 32 4{on
trucks plus 90 tons of general cargo,
120 tons of petrol, oil and lubricants,
and 30 tons of ammunition (L3029 the
same except only 16 MBTs and 25 4-
ton trucks); two Mexeflottes; three Above: HMSEearless and tfie,LSi Sir Below: The LSL Sir Bedivere under ati
Westland Wessex HU.Mk 5 or two Tristram undergroin g along s i de attack in 'Bomb AIIey' (San Carlos
Westland Sea King HC.Mk 4 or three refuelling at speed from one of the Water) by an Argentine Dagger in
A6rospatiale Gazelle or Westland RFA's old'Leaf'-c,lass supporf sftips. May 1982.
Lyrx helicopters
Armament: tvtro lv{k 9 40-mm AA gms
plus variable number of 7,62-mm (0.3-
tn) GPMGs and Blowpipe hand-held
SAM laulchers (normally no anna-
ment is camed)
Electronics: one Type 1006 navrgation
radar
l

ffi iiearless'Class Amphibious Transport Dock (tPD)

The hvo Britrsh LPDs, Fearless and 1n-
trepid, are under the command of Flag
Officer Third Flotilla (FOF3) who is
concerned with the lareter warships of
the Royal Navy and the naval air ele-
ments, The infamous l9Bl Defence Re-
view forecast the disposal of Intrepid
(L]1) in and ofFeariess (Li0) in
1982
finally prevailed within
1984, but sanity
the Minlstry of Defence in February
i982, and rt was decided that both
ships would continue in service, their
worth later being proved during the
Falkland Islands war, since without
them there could not have been an
assault landlnq to recapture the is-
lands,
The'Fearless' class ships are tasked
to provide amphlbious assault lift capa-
bilrties using an onboard naval assault
grroup,4crigade headquarters unit with
a fully equipped assault operations
room from which the force comman-
ders can moult and contiol all the air,
sea and land force assets required for
the operation. The ships also carry an
amphibious detachment that consists
of an assault squadron subdmded into
a landing craft (l,C) squadron with four
LCUs (ex-LCM9s) and four LCVPs, an
amphibious beach umt (ABI-|) with its
owrr lrand Rover and a Centurion
Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle
(BARV) to attend to stranded vehicles
and landrng craft, and a vehicle deck
party (VDP) for marshalling vehicles
for embarkation on the landing craft.
An l,CU can carry either one Chieftain
or huo Cenh.rion MBTs, or four 4{on
trucks or eight Land Rovers and trail-
ers, or 100 tons of cargTo, or 250 troops
as its payload, The LCVP carrres
either 35 troops or fuvo Land Rovers,
A 50,29-m (I65-ft) by 22,86-m (75-ft)
flight deck rs built over the well deck
and is capable of operatrng most
NATO helicopter tlpes or, ifrequired,
BAe Sea Harrier VTOL fighter aircraft.
Three vehicle decks are provided, in
the form of one for tracked vehicles
such as tanks or self-propelled gnrrs,
one for wheeled trucks, and a hali-
deck that is reserved for Land Rover
vehicles and trailers. The overload
troop capacity is sufficient for a light
infantry battalion or Royal Marine
Commando with an attached artillery
battery. Further light vehicle stowage
space can be obtained by using the
helicopter flight deck. The vessels can
also act as tr4ininq ships, in which I50
midshipmen and naval cadets can be
embarked for nine-week courses,
Specification:
Names: Fear/ess (L10) and Intrepid
(Llr)
Commissioned: L10 25 November 1965
and L]] I1 March 1967
Displacement: 12,210 tons full load
Dimensions: length 158,5m (520ft);
beam 24.4 m (B0ft); draught 6.2m
(20.s ft)
Propulsion: two geared steam turbines
delivering 22,000 shp to two shafts
Speed: 2l kts
Complement: 617 (37 officers, 500 rat-
ings and B0 Royai Marines)
Troops:330 normai, 500 overload and
670 maxirnum
Cargo: maxrmum 20 MBT, one BARV,
45 4{on trucks with 50 tons ofstores, or
up to 2, 100 tons ofstores; four LCUs and
four LCVPs; five Westiand.Wessex
HU.Mk 5 or four Westland Sea King
HC.Mk 4 plus three A6rospatiale
Gazelle or Westland Lynx helicopters
Armament: four GWS20 Quadruple
Sea Cat SAM launchers, two Mk 9 40-
mm AA gnrns plr.rs variable number of
7.62-mm (0.3-in) GPMGs and Blowpipe
hand-held SAM launchers
Electronics: one Type 978 naviention
radar, one type 994 air- and surface-
search radar, one SCOT satellite com-
munications system, one ESM system
with Knebworth/Corvus chaff-
launchers, one CAAIS operations
room command and control system

izg
 in Actflotr:
Fearless
Bqftle for fhe Fslklands
fearless is not a particularly attractrve
- -ir,IS
srrp Berng an assault support shrpshe has no
cartrcular reason to have attractive ltnes. but
:-: angular appearance of rhe vessels hroh
'-:uard superstructLire and the long low he-Ii-
:opter landinq deck are hrghly functional, The
blunt stern hrdes the fact that she has an inter-
nal landinE craft 'hangar', and the relatively
croad hull hrdes the large numbers of storej,
accommodation decks, workshops, offices and
communications centres that an assault ship
requires in action, Apart from a.tl these faciltties
iear/ess has to find room for her ship's comple-
nent of 580 men, and additional volume has to
ce found for her helicopters, aircrew and main-
ia_rners to say nothing of the 380-400 Royal
llarines who regard the ship as home.
Fearless was compieted in 1963 anci spent
many years providing amphibious operations
suppo-rt in all oarls oJ the world, but increasing
ly in Scandrnavian waters as the vears rolle"d
by. However. the operating expense ol Fear-
less grew even hrgher as general costs rose
and items of equipment started to wear out until
in i981 she was earmarked for layrng-off in
1984; but strings were pulled in hrgh plaCes and
Fearless was reprieved, Thus rn barly 1g82
Fearless was tied up at her usual wharf in
Portsmouth Dockyard undergoing an exten-
sive refit and refurbtshtng programme on all
parts of the shrp,
Events rn the South Atlantrc chanqed all that
overnighr. The dockyard maries worked im
mensely long hours to put Fearless back into gangways On board were Commodore
commission, and they achieved virtual mira, Mrchaei Clapp (Commodore Amphibious
cles as_the ship was due to sail on Tt_resday 6 Warfare), hrs stalf and elements of No. 3 Com-
Aprrl As ii was the ship saited out oi poits mar.do Brrraoe lincluding the headquarlerst,
mouth on only one boiler as the other was strll lhree West-and Sea Krng HC Mk 4s irom No
recoveringt from extensive repairs But to the 846 Navai Air Squadron and three Westland
watching public all appeoreo /, er- crS rhey gave Scout AH,N{k ls of No, 3 Commando Brioade.
the smali convoy a rousing send-cff into thJwet As Fearless moved south 'o Ascension Ii and
mist of the Solent, the shrp's company gradualiy sorted out the
At that sta-ge Fearless was sttll relatively state of the ship and tried to establish where
empty apart from the usual mountain of stores everything had been stacked, The Comman-
packed into all parts of the shrp includrng ihe dos carried out as much training as they could,

&

js.vtl',.,r'::,:;:.i

,.. .*i?rll
::::!:.:3!l:i8l

..=.:l--
:;:'

lfil?!:':..;t:li:l;,
Fearless in Action
and life was busy as Ascension loomed on the
horizon.
At Ascension things grew even busier. From
the moment Fearless arrived she assumed a
role that was to continue until the end of Opera-
tion 'Corporate', as the operation to repossess
the Falklands had been named, Fearless ar-
rived at Ascension on 17 April, and on the very
next day there began a series of exercises to
train the landing craft crews and their charges,
and a iong series of shifting about of men and
stores from one vessel to another, nearly a1l the
work being carried out by helicopter. To add
to this, the crew of Fearless began a large
number of operations to provide technicai and
other assistance to other ships in the force that
was gradually assembiing. (HMS 1nlrepld the
sistership of Fearless, arrived on 15 April after
an even more involved dockyard operation
than that needed by Fearless) Technicians
from Fearless were transported around the
fleet carryinq out all manner oftasks from elec-
trical repairs to removing the deck side-walls
from a chartered Ro-Ro (roil-on/ro1i-off) ferry to
convert it into a helicopter landing-decked
stores vessel.
On 7 May Fearless and a small fleet of sup-
port vessels of all kinds left Ascension and
moved south towards the Falklands. She was
very crowded: more stores and supplies had
been taken on at Ascension, more Royal
Marine and assorted 'brown jobs' (soldiers)
were on board and some extra helicopters had
been accumuiated. More were yet to join,
Among the many ships moving south was the
Canberra, soon to be immortalized as 'the
One of the LPDs,f/MSFearless orHMSIntrepm"
under attack by an Argentine Dagger in San Caiw
Water. The camouflaged aircraft can be seen
passing just in front of the mainmastand alrncsd
bridgelevel.
Great White Whale', and from her Fea:emr
took on board the 600 or more men oi l's: r$f
Commando plus all their kit and another l*:n
of stores and equipment, This brought :: :1*
board total to well over I,500 men, who :,=r r
sleep and live where and how they could :'1:h
mess, gangway, odd corner and cubb_,-::,*i
was crarnmed with men and equipmen-- rlr
somehow they managed to Iive withor: r:ur
much rn the way of problems.
That was on 19 May, by which time Fea:,sr
was in good company. Sailing with her -r=:r
Ihe Canberra, the iil-fated AUanttc Conve;:r
lhe Ewopic Ferry, the E1k, the RFA Strom:=.=
the Intrepid, and as escorts there were I.F
Arden f and HMS Argonaut. Fearless was c:-e :r
the centrai vessels ol this small fleet, for i: r,'-f,:
on board that most of the expedition's comn :-
ders were based. It was on boardFear/es-s --:,a:
the assault commanders learned of their ll:-
jected ianding beach at San Carlos (that was :r
10 May). The landing operations (Opera::n
I
 One of the LPDs, ffMS Fearless orIlMS Intrepid,
under attack by an Argeitine Dagger in San Carlos
Waten The camouflaged aircraft can be seen
passing j ust in front of the mainmast and almost at
bridgelevel.
Great White Whale', and from her Fearless
took on board the 600 or more men of No. 40
Commando plus all their kit and another heap
'sutton') then had to be prepared, but as they BAC Canbena ii: :"r- r*rq
did so the weather got worse as the 'Roaring Fear.less s:a:::i ':: w
Forties' were passed; then on 20 May Fearless vengeance -::-; -- i:: a
enteredtheTotalExclusionZone(TEZ)around inthestern \: il l:rrpnr
the Falkland Islands. By then the force around ashore. The i::.i-'l :l-ui i;
Fear/ess aryllntrepidhhdincreased: theCan- fgll-scale 311et-:,1;5 rq'rr::r'
berra, Europic Ferry, EIk andStromness were many years c: =: - ':a- :f l-
still there, but to these had been added the well. Thelanoi-:sm,'=r-r.l=;]
RFAs Sf Percjval, Sir a result ma:i1 --1 1 :r--,;
Sir Geratnt, Sir Galahad, I

of stores and equipment, This brought the on- Lancelot, Sir Tistram andFort Austin Escorts against Arge-::,;: r:'s :
board total to well over I,500 men, who had to now included HMS Broadsword, Billiant, Ar- Carried ou: c: -{ l-t1-t :u
sleep and live where and how they could. Each dent, Argonaut,
- Antrim, Hymouth and Yar- modelofc.onri-:r+L :cFiai:[
mess, gangway, odd corner and cubby-hole mouth. backed uP a S-=+: = -r-:
was crammed with men and equipment, but As this force approached San Carlos Water it destroyed "ir:r=, =': = ;
somehow they managed to live without too was spotted bya lone Argentinian air force -"+15?#
much in the way of problems. *;:i=*;.=
-:e =
That was on 19 May, by which timeFear/ess Fearless w'as a: :
=,r,r:=
was in good company. Sailing with her were
Ihe Canberra, the iii-fated AUantic Conveyor, Right and belor,'Ead c( tu ij
Ihe Europic F erry, the Elk, the RFA Stromness, thewelld*koflfu6 Feds:
lhe Intrepid, and as escorts there were HMS or up to 250 trcr:.p. fh€ig'rPs
Ardent andHMS Argonaut Fearless was one of su pe r s tru cture can ect :ry
the central vessels of this small fleet, for it was Land Rovers. Ajr defw:sf
bckfard operation on board that most of the expedition's comman- *o-oj"t*..t]ansmss

i\ ,', \-*_
riess.j Technicians ders were based. It was on board Fearless that
Frld around the the assault commanders learned of their pro- N
r of:asks lrom elec- iected landing beach at San Carlos (that was on
fu deck side-wails l0 May). The landing operations (Operation 1
[-cn roll-off) ferry to \- \\': l,--
er iandrng-decked \ .F*=--
fleet of sup-
a s:rnall
bfr Ascension and
Falldaads She was
s and supplies had
rsion. more Royal
mr jobs' (soldiers)
ftahelicopters had
l were yet to join,
r-mg south was the
rmccalzed as 'the
Sutton') then had to be prepared, but as they
drd so the weather got worse as the 'Roaring
Forties'were passed; then on 20 MayFearless
entered the Total ExclusionZone (TEZ) around
the Faikland Islands. By then the ljrrce around
Fearless andlntrepid had increased: the Can-
berra, Europic Ferry, Elk andStromness were
still there, but to these had been added the
RFAs Srr Percival, Sir Geraint, Sir Galahad, Sir
lancelot, Sir Tistram andFort Austin Escorts
now included HMS Broadsword, Billiant, Ar-
dent, Argonaut, Antrim, Plymouth and Yar-
:nouth.
As this force approached San Carlos Water it
was spotted by a lone Argentinian air force
BAC Canberra, but by then it was too late.
Fear-1ess started her war work with a
vengeance: using the four ianding craft carried
in the stern, No. 40 Commando started to move
ashore. The landing cra-ft carried out the first
full-scale amphibious landing in earnest for
many years on the night of 21 May, and all went
well. The landings went largely unopposed, as
a result mainly of a small-scale operation
against Argentinian units on Pebble Island.
Carried out on 14 May, this operation was a
model of combined operations as naval gunflre
backed up a Special Air Sewices raid that
destroyed aircraft and the vital warning radar
installed on the island.
The very next day the arr attacks started,
Fearless was at the centre of it all as Argenti-
Right and below: Each of the four LCUs carried in
thewell deckof HMS Fearless can carrytwoMBTs
or up to 250 traops. The ICVPs slung on the
superstradure can each carry 35 troops or two
LandRovers. Air defence is providedbyfour
qu adrup le S ea C at launcher s.
!
!
I
-1
I

nian air force Dassault Mirages and McDonnell
Douglas Skyhawks swung into action, Fear/ess
was an obvious target, but somehow she man-
aged to escape the worst, Bombs fell close by,
but the ship's defences of two 40 mm L/60
Bofors gmns (dating from Worid War II) and
four Sea Cat missile-launchers added their bit
to the wall of defensive fire that greeted the
attackers, Coming in low and relativeiy
strarght, the Argentinians presented good, if
fast, targets and they suffered accordingly.
That first day's tally was 17 Argentinian air
force aircra-ft shot down, and from then on San
Carlos Water became known as 'Death Alley'
to the attackers, but they kept coming back
with a degree of courage which defles descrip-
tion, On the debit side lor the Britrsh was the
Ioss of HMSArdenl, so for the British San Carlos
Water became 'Bomb Alley'.
There were no air attacks on22May. Fear'
less concentrated on getting men and stores
ashore to consolidate the beach-head. Her
landing craft fussed around the Water carrying
men and supplies from ship to ship and work-
ing for as iong as the light held. The next day
was another matter. The Argenttnian air force
returned rn strength; this time the attackers hit
and destroyed HMS Antelope. Before the
spectacular exploslon that made such photo-
graphic history took place, the little ianding
craft from Fearless were able to take off nearly
all her crew and that nightFearless provided a
place of rest for the homeless 'Antelopes'.
On 24 May the air attacks continued and
Fearless received three casualties, the only
ones of her whole campaign: three men on a
Bofors Qnrnwere wounded by shrapnel and one
had to be taken ashore for treatment. Below
decks things were as busy as ever, the men
involved having little or no idea of what was
going on above decks. They had to keep work-
rng rn the engine rooms, communications cen-
tles, landing craft well, stores and all the many
other hidden workplaces while above them
bombs dropped and gnrns thumped away.
It was on 24 May that Fearless really started
her 'mother' role in earnest. From thp start of
the campaign the ship had been loaning tech-
nicians and manpower to other ships, but now
Fearless started to send battle damage parties
to stricken ships, The LSL Slr.Lancelol was
struck by two unexploded bombs (UXB) and
the crew had to be removed. As they left par-
ties from Fearless moved in, Electrlcal cables
were replaced, temporary repairs brought
back hqhting and power, new galley equip-
ment was fitted and once the bombs had been
rendered safe the crew returned, Thls was
tlpical of other Fearless support operations
after bomb damage: a party fromFearle,ss car-
ried out extensive repairs lo Argonaut afler a
raid; during June a further Fearless party
assisted rn putting out fires on HMS Plymouth
and clearing a path to unexploded bombs; re-
pair work was carried out on the ly'ordic Ferry
and the lug lishman; and so it went on.
Perhaps the saddest task that men from
Fear.less had to perform was on I I June. Using a
Boerng Vertol Chinook helicopter this party
had to suwey the wreck of the Str Tnstram,
damaged severely during the Bluff Cove op-
eration. Despite the severe damage from fire
the vessel was repaired to the extent that it
could be used for much-needed troop accom-
,38
After the fuiitial landing at San Cailos the
helicopter deckofHMS Intrepid was used en
several occasions as a diversionary landing pad
and forward operating base for BAe Sea Harrier
FRS.Mk I fighters from the carriersHMS Hermes
andHMSlnvincible.
modation once the islands had been reposses-
sed.
FearJess did not remain in San Carlos Water
throughout all the air attacks. On 28 May she
was out at sea ready to take on Major General
Moore and his staff alongwith Brigadier Wilson
(commander of the Sth Infantry Brigade, the
main army force for the final land operations).
They were all back in 'Bomb A-lley' next day,
and there Fearless remained until 6 June. On
that day Fearless's manpower strength again
went over the 1,500 mark as Welsh Guards
came aboard ready for the move to Elephant
island, where the landing craft once more put
the Guards ashore.
In purely military terms that was one of the
ship's last contributions to the retaking of the
Falkland Islands. In practical terms it meant
business as before. In her role of 'mother'Fear-
Jess continued to support operations ashore,
though in one sense she had been ashore from
the first day after the landings: her Medical
Section had moved ashore at Ajax Bay and was
a major force behind the small hospital that had
been set up in a dlsused refrigerator plant,
There men frornFear,/ess tended the wounded
from both sides and did their best to repair the
results of modern infantry combat. The ship
became a fount of medical supplies that had to
come all the way from the Royal Naval Hospital
at Haslar. Back on board the ship's Com-
munications Group handled thousands of sig-
HMS Fearless cutaw_Ay
drawing key
1 Navigation radar
2 Airsearchradar
3 Main mast struclure
4 Forefunnel{behindmain I
mast)
5 Chute
6 Radarcontrolroom
7 Operations room
8 Main bridge
9
40-mm/T0Boforsgun
10 Bridqehouse
11 Foremaststructure
'12 Liferafts
13 OuadmountSea-Cat
surface-to-air missiie
14 Anchor
'15 Troopdeck/stores(1)
'16 Troopdeck/stores(2)
17 Troopdeck/stores(3)
'18 Light lorries deck
19 Tankdeck
IIMS Fearless un der aerial attack at San Carlos.
Note what appear to be near misses in the water
around the ship either from aircraft cannon fire or
'friendly' anti- aircraft fire.
nals and wore out a copying machine in the
process, The ship's resident helicopters were
constantly at work: when they were not car-
rying men ashore or from ship to ship, they
were carrying stores, ammunition and fuel, No.
846 Navat Arr Squadron operated irom shore
bases once in the Falklands, but frequently had
to return for repairs and rest, Including No. 846
Squadron's operations, Fearless's heiicopter
deck logged no fewer than 5,000 iandingi by
the time she sailed from Port Stanley. The ahip'-s
meteorological men constantly compiled and
dellvered weather reports andforecasts for the
Task Force. Her one-man photographic de-
partment carried out the hundred-and-one
tasks that were required, somehow managing
to take no fewer than 9,404 photographs. The
Supply and Secretarial Department sbmehow
managed to keep everyone fed, even when
mess halls were covered in weary soldiers; it
also managed to keep tabs on all ihe supplies
moved or consumed (7,474 tons of dresel oil.
5.73 toas of AVCAT, 14,088 tons of water pro-
duced by the ship's condensers, some of ii for
use by other ships, etc). Over SI40 000 in che-
ques were cashed and f60,000 was handed
over to the army ashore for its needs, The list of
such deeds is endiess but the men of the ship's
laundry should not be forgotten, Eight Chinese 20-mm and 35-mm anti-aircraft guns cap:_:=:
not only did all the laundry (for over 1,000 men) ashore and gladly pressed lnto use at ;ar-:'-.
but aiso managed to cut hair and do some points around the decks,
tarloring! On 25 June Fearless left the Falkla::is
It is not possible to mention all the sections of --l=
sailed north. It had not been a bad effoa r:::
the ship. All were busy and all worked long and ship that had once been almost assicrned:: -:,:
hard hours to supply the needs ofthe thousand- scrap-heap. For long and dangeror-L cja.,.s s:_:
and-one customers who looked to Fearless for had been in the thick of it all witn nonils:i.:::
support. Once Port Stanley had been retaken everywhere around her, Her crunners :-=j
Fearless was stitl busy assisting in the clearing-
up operations ashore and even taking over an
scored some kilis and many m6n ha: :'_:
accommodated in her metal interior He::_=_-
ex-Argentinian tender, There was one moment copters had kept men and supplies i:-.',-:-;--
of quiet triumph when General Menendezwas all directions. Her damage parties :rai <=:l
taken aboard on 15 June, but he was not the first ships afloat and her engineermg t:r's ,=;
Argentinian to set foot on the ship: on 25 May an churned out parts for all manner oin:ac:_:=
un-fortunate Argentiman pilot had to eject fiom WithoutFearless the Falkland Islalds :ce-,
his alrcraft dlrectly overFearlessand was pick- tions would probably riot have bee: c,: r. - _: -
ed up and cared for after his ordeal, Other not a bad thing for a ship and her :j:.ce:_t -:
Argentrnian additions to the ship were various Iook back on.
.,,
20 Landingcraftdavit
_! 2l Landinq craft LCVP, caDacitv
36troopsortwo Land
Rovers with crew
22 Pulleysystem forraising
ramp, upperand lower
23 Mobile ramo formovinoAFV
from one deck to anoth-er
24 Ship'slaunch
25 AlvisScorpiontanU
reconnaissance vehicle
(FV101)
26 Fixed loading ramp, shiprc
landing craft
'Er fil T {
 fit r" Ridge,Amphibious Command Ships (LCC)
=-
i-:= :r-r tslue Ridge' ciass integrated
.
=j:d and sea amphibious assault
:::::-ald ships are the first and only
:.-!s Jonsuucted by any nation solely
,r-: -:at role, A thud ship of the class
:s3med at the outset for both amphi-
:-:- and fleet command) was also
;::;i:ammed but was subsequently
:-:elled. In the late i970s, as a result
:: :e retirement of the elderly 'Cleve-
;:-i class flagship cruisers the two
--:e Ridge' vessels also took on fleet
'.rship duties, the Blue &dge herself
:e:oming the flagship of the West
?ajic 7th fleet and Mount Whttney
-:-: fiagship of the Atlantic 2nd fleet,
The basic hull design and pro-
pi;lsron machinery is similar to that of
:e 'Iwo Jima' class LPHs, with the lar-
ger hangar area devoted to accom-
rodation, offices and operations
::oms required by the maximum
possilcle 200 officers and 500 enlisted
nen of the embarked flag grroup, The
shrps have comprehensive satellite
communications, command, control
and intelligence analysis facilities
itted. These rnclude the Amphlbious
Command Information System (ACIS);
'ire Naval Intelligence Processing Sys-
tem (NIPS); the Naval Tactical Data
System (NTDS) with its AN/UYK-20
ard AN/UYK-7 digital computers to
qlve an overali picture of the tactical
'uderwater, surface and air warfare Complement: l,CC19 799 (41 officers
stuations; Link i I and Link i4 automa-
USS BIue SJdge (LCC I 9). Fitted with a
vast array ofcommand, control and
ammunications systems, ffi e yesse,l
is well suited for its additional role of
Fleetflagship.
tic data transmission systems to allow
the exchange of tactical tnformation
with NTDS-equrpped ships and Air-
borne Tactical Data System (ATDS)-
equipped aircraft; extensive photo-
eiraphic laboratories and document
publication facilities; aad the satellite
communications system with OEB2
antenna, SSR-I receiver and WSC-3
transceiver,
The vessels each carry three LCPs,
hvo LCVPs and one 10-m (32.8-ft) per-
sonnel launch in Weivin davtts sihrated
in prominent sponsons projecting from
the ships' sides, A helicopter landing
area is located at the stem but there
are no hangar or maintenance facilities
aboard. A small vehicie garaqe and
elevator are provided. When neces-
sary the ships operate two small utility
helicopters as the ship's flight.
Specification:
Names: BIue Ridge (LCC19) and
Mount Whitnev 0CC20) (41 officers plw 475 enlisted men) The nerve centre of an atnphibious
Commissioned: LCC19 14 November Flag gnoup: LCC l9 250 (50 officers plus assaulf, the command ship t/SS Btue
1970 and LCC20 16 January 1971 200 entisted men) and LCC2O 4ZO (t6O Ridge (ICCJ 9). ?ie Blue Ridge a/so
Displacement: 19,290 tons full load officers plus 260 enlisted men) senresas tfte US TthFletflagship and,
Dimensions: length 189 m (620 ft); Armament: two hvin Mk 33 Z6-mm (3- k homeported a t Yokosuka. apn-
J
beam 25 m (82 ft); draught B.B m (29 ft) in) AA two B-hrbe Mk 25 Sea Sparrow
Propulsion: one greared steam turbine BPDMS launchers (two 20-mm Mk 16 tems, one target desigmara:. --_;s.::-
delivering 22,000 shp to one shaft Phalanx CIWS to be fitted) two Mk 56 gmn fue-conE.l --_,::e:-.-.
Speed: 23 kls maximum and 20 k1s sus- Electronics: one SPS-48 3D-search two Mk 35 fire-control raCa:s ::-: l.l.:
tained radar, one SPS-10 surface-search 36 Super RBOC Chaftoc lau:cr.::5s-
radar, one SPS-40 air-search radar, Iem and associated ESM ec:::----
plus 758 enlisted men) and LCC20 516 huo Mk 115.missi1e fire-control sys- one URN20 TACAN.

ft"Jima'Class Amphibious Assault Ships Helicopter (LpH)

=
iver since 1955, when
:scort carrier Thetis Bay was
the former
con-
',-efied to a helicopter assault ship, the
.ruted States Navy has maintained a
'iertical airlift capability for the US
)r'farine Corps. The 'Iwo Jima ciass
siips were built to an improved World
'Yar II escort carrier design with
iccommodation for a US Marine infan-
:ry battalion landing team fore and aft
:: the centrally located box hangar.
-lese vessels were the first in any
-1!ry to be designed specifically to
:::ry and operate helicopters, and as
r-:h no catapuit or arrester gear is
-*ed. The flight deck is able to operate
-: recover up to seven Boerng Vertol
3:I-46 Sea Knight or four Sikorsky CH-
-.: Sea Stallions simultaneously, The
:.::Ear deck, wrth a 6, l-m (20-ft) height
clearance can accommodate i9 CH-
46s or 1l CH-53s. The normal air grroup
rs a mixffie of 24 CH-46, CH-53, Bell
AH-l and Bell UH-l hehcopters. On
LPH2,3, 1I and 12 rwofoldable22727-
kg (50,1001b) capacity deck-edge hfts
are carried, whilst on LPH7, 9 and I0
the lifts have been reduced to 20000-
kg (44,090-1b) capacity. Because (with
the exception of LPHI2 which has two
LCVPs on davrS) they do not carry
Ianding craft, the ships are limited iir
the sue of equipment they can carry
for the embarked US Mdrines, Two
small elevators carry palletized cargo
from the cargo holds to the fliqht deck,
whilst a small parlong area fo: .;:_:
vehicles and towed artllery pte:es
-.
also provrded.
Durtng 1972 to 1974 LPH9 opera:e;
as an interim sea controi ship cd:i.:;
BAe AV-BA Hamer VTOL flohters :-.
Skorsky SH-3 Sea Krng ASW i:e-:::-
ters, When converted back r: ::.
-lj-:
The 'IwoJima'-class LPH. This was
theworld's firsf sfup c/ass deslgme.d
and cons tructed s perifi caJly t o
operate he Ecopters. E a ch LP H ar
carry a Marine battalion landing
teant with alI its equipmenL a
reinforced helicopter squadron" aic
supporting personnel.

.J

L
'Iwo ]ima' Class (continued)

LPH9, USS Guarl carrying three
Marine Corps AV-9A Harrier aircraft.
I n 1 97 I the Gvan was modified to
operate as an intefim Sea Control
Ship, carrying both Harriers and Sea
KingASWhelicopters.
she retained the Air Surface Classifica-
tion and Analysis Centre (ASCAC) that
was fitted for the experimental role.
Several other LPHs have also operated
as minesweepinq headquarters boats,
embarking US Navy RH-53 helicopter
minesweeptnq units, These vessels
cleared North Vietnamese Ports in
1973 and the Suez Canal in 1974. All
helicopter operations are controlled
from a dedicated command and con-
trol centre iocated in the flight deck
isiand. Atl except LPH1O carry the
same sateliite communjcations equip-
ment as the LCCs. They have the same
300-bed hospital unit as the LHAs, Four
ships sewe with the Atlantic fleets and
three with the Pacific fleets.
Specification:
Names: Iwo Jima (LPH2), Okinawa
(l,PH3) Guadalcanal (LPH7), Guam
(LPH9), Trbo1i (LPHl0), New Orleans
(LPHI 1) and lncion (LPHI2)
Commissioned:, LPHZ 26 August i96 I,
LPH3 14 April 1962, LPHZ 20 July 1963,
LPHS 16 January 1965, LPHI0 6 August
1966, LPHII i6 November 1968 and
LPHI? 20 June 1970
Displacement: 18,300 tons fr.rll load
Dimensions: lengrth 183.7 m (602.3 ft);
beam 25.6 m (84 ft); draught 7.9 m
(26 f0
Propulsion: one geared steam turbine
delivering 22,000 shp to one shaft
Speed: 23 kts maximum and 20 kts sus-
tained
Complement: 652 (47 officers plus 605
eniisted men)
Troops: 2,090 (190 officers and i,900
enusted men)
Cargo: total 399.6-m2 (4,300-sq ft) vehi-
cle parkinq area; LPHI2 two LCVPs;
maximum 19 CH-46 helicopters in han-
gar plus seven on deck; 24605 litres
(6,500 US gal) MOGAS vehicle tuel;
1533090 litres (405,000 US sal) JPS avia-
tion tuel: 1059.8 m3 (37 ,425 cu ft) palle-
tized stores
Armament: tuvo hvin Mk 33 76-mm (3-
in) AA gmns, two B-hrbe Mk 25 Sea
Sparrow BPDMS launchers; hvo 40-
mm saluting guns; two 20-mm Mk 16
Phalanx CIWS to be fitted
Electronics: one SPS-I0 surface-
search radar, one SPS-40 air-search Based on an improvedWorldlA/ar II
radar, one SPN-10 or SPN-43 aircraft escort carrier design, the'Iwo Jima'-
landing aid radar system, one Mk 36 cJass vesse/s were the first to
Super RBOC Chaffroc launcher system s p ecifrc aIIy ac com m od ate
with associated ESM equipment, one helicopters. Here USS Inchon(LPH I 2)
URN-20 TACAN is shown with CH-46s on deck.

E fi"r"*"'Class General-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ships (tHA)

The 'Tarawa class ships are the largest
amphibious warfare ships yet con-
structed. They are intended to com-
blne the capabilities of the LPH, the
LPD, the LCC and the LKA in a single
huli. The class was origrinaly to have
numbered nine, but as a result ofthe
end of the Vietnam War and budget-
ary constraints the eventual number
built was five, The Litton/lngalls Pasca-
goula shipyard built them by means of
its multi-ship construction technique
between 1971 and 1979.
The ship's sides are vertical for
some hvo-thirds of the lengrth in order
to maximize the internal space avail-
able for cargo. An 81.7 m (268 ft) long
by 23.8 m (78 ft) wide hangar with a
6.t m (20 ft) overhead is iocated above
a srmilarly sized well deck set into the
stern, The hangar is served by an
l8l82-kg (40,085-ib) capacity side lift
to port and a largrer 36364-kg (80,170-
ib) capacity centreline lift at the stem.
The dockingweil, vehicle deck, cargto
holds and hangar deck are connected
by a series offive elevators capable of
canyrng 1000-kg (2,205-lb) palletized Above : Lead ship of the LHA class,
lcads. The three forward elevators USS Tarawa about to recover a
serse the vehicie deck and use a con- M arine C orps Vl STOL AV - 8A H anier
-,'ey'or belt system, whilst the aft two during the 1980 Philippines Taliant
-^levators (located at the other end of Blitz'exercke.
::e beit) sewe .both the well deck,
rtere ar overhead cargo-carrying f : As a resu lt of post-Vietnam
Rr:gfi
i:ororail system takes the paliets onto budget restraints, onlY one more
-:€ larding craft, and the hangar deck, LIlAwas built alter LISS Nassau
I-: argled ramp ftom the hangar deck (LH A4), instead of the five Planned.
-:ais lo the flight deck to allow direct
.:a j-:g oi heLicopters,

tselcm :'f ar aw a' -cla.s,s LHA.

q:-=ffi,
 Tarawa' Class (continued)
iorward of the docking well (and
r::rrected to it and the flight deck by
::nps) are the vehicle Qecks. These
-,:rmally accommodater 160 tracked
rehicles, artillery pieces and trucks
:4tether wlth 40 LVTP-7 amphibious
s.sault personnel carriers, The well
jeck can accommodate up to four
-CUs or two I:CUs and three LCMBs or
-7 LCM6s. The four LCUs and eight
-VTP-7s can be launched simul-
:aneously from the well deck, The ves-
sels themselves normally carry two
LCMOs and tvvo LCPs stowed on deck
tbr launch by a larqe deck crane. The
aircraft hanqar has the capacity for 30
Boeingr Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight or 19
Srkorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicop-
ters, although the normal air group
embarked tends to be either 12 CH-
46s, six CH-53s, four Bell AH-] Sea-
Cobra gmnships and two Bell UH-1 util-
ity or six CH-46s, mne CH-53s, four
AH-ls and the hvo UH-I helicopters,
Both the BAe AV-BA Harrier and the
Rockwell OV-i0 Bronco fixed-wing
aucraft have ajso been operated, the
former being a VTOL close-support
f,ghter and the latter a STOL observa-
tion/attack aircraft, A 464,5m2
(5,000sqft) trarning and acclimatiza-
tion room rs fitted for the 1,900-man
reinforced US Marine battalion carried
to exercise in a controlled environ-
ment, A 300-bed medical unit (wrth
operating rooms, X-ray room, isolation
ward, hospital ward, laboratories,
fialeigh' and'Austin' Class Amphibious Transport Docks (LpD)
=
The LPD is a fi:rther development of
the dock landing ship (LSD) wrth an
increased troop and vehicle capacity
at the expense of a reduction in the
dock weli size. The LPD essentially
combines the troop-carying of the
APA with pa]-t of the cargo-carryrng
AKA, and the vehicle and landing craft
capabiltties of the LSD designs in one
huli. Of the three-ship 'Raleigh' class
one has been converted to the Com-
mand Middle East Force (COM-
IDEASTFOR) flasship. This ship, USS
Ia Salle, sewes wrth the Indian Ocean
task forces. The 'Raleiqh' class ships
have a stern docking we]l 51,2m
(168 ft) lonq and 15.2 m (50 ft)
wide that
can accommodate one LCU and three
LCM6s, or four LCMBs, or 20 LVTP-7
amphibious vehicles. In addition two
LCM6s or four LCPLs are carried on
ihe helicopter and lifted overboard by
crale, The helicopter deck covers the
landmg cra1t well, but there are no
cnboard hangar or maintenalce facili-
les Up to six Boeing Verlol CH-46
helicopters can be operated for short
:mes from the deck. An overhead
i:ronorail stores-transfer system is
-jsed to ioad the landrng craft in the
l;ell deck from the forward cargo
;olds. Ramps cohnect the vehicle
3ecks, docking well and flight deck,
mhich can also be used to park addi-
:onal vehicles ifrequired. Side ports in
re hull provide a roll-on/roll-off capa-
:ility when docks are available,
The later 'Austih' class ships are en-
-r-ged versions of the 'Raleigh' class,
-ae doclcng well is the same size, but
= -2-m (39,4-ft) extension has been in-
just
forward of the well to in-
=rled
::ease the vehicle- and cargo-
=:rying capacities, A fixed flight deck
"s located above the well with two
;:Cing spots. All except LPD4 are
Jil'
Ampldbious Ass,ault Strips
phalmacy, dentistry room, morhtary
and medical store rooms) is also car-
ried.
To act as an amphrbious squadron
flagshrp the LHA is fitted with the Tac-
tical Amphibious Warfare Data System
(TAWDS) to provide command and
control over the group's aircraft,
weapons, sensors and landing craft.
The same satellite communications
system and data links as fitted to the
LCCs are carried. Two of the LHAs are
assigined to the Atlantic fleets while the
other three are with the Pacific fleets,
Specification:
Names: Tarawa (LHAI), Saipan
(LHA2), B elleau lzTood (LHA3), .lr'assau
(LHA4), Pelelu (LHAS)
Commissioned: LHAI 29 May 1976,
LHA2 15 October 1977, LHA3 23
September 1978, LHA4 28 July 1979 LCUs and three LCMBs or 17 LCM6s LHA2 USS Satpan- The LIIA clas llrits
and LHAS 3 May l9B0 plus two LCM6s and two LCPs; max- be joinedbyupto 12 of thesimilar
Displacement: 39,300 tons full load imum 30 CH-46 plus 12 on flight deck; but slightly larger LIID clas, thetrrst
Dimensions: length 250 m (820 ft): 37855 litres (10,000 US qal) of MOGAS five of which will augiment the W
beam 32.3m (106ft); draught 7.9m vehicle fue1; 378540 htres (100,000 US Navy's current anphi,bious Iift
(26 ft) gal) of JPS aviation fuel; 33ll m3 assek. The remaining sevenwill
Propulsion: two geared steam twbines (t 16,925 cu ft) palletized stores replace the LPH s from the late I gg&-
delivering 70,000 shp to two shafts Armament: three sinqle Mk 45 127 -mm on a one-for-one basls.
Speed: 24 kts maxrmum and 22 kts sus- (S-in) DP qnrns, six sinqie Mk 62 20-mm
tained AA gmns, two B{ube Mk 25 Sea Spar- missile f,re-control systerns, cne S?3
Complement: 902 (90 officers plus 812 row BPDMS launchers, to be replaced 60 fire-controi radar, one SPG3i::=
enlisted men) by two 20-mm Mk 16 phatanx CIWS
control radar, one SPN-35 Da-;31::.
Troops: 1,903 (172 ofhcers plus 1,73i Electronics: one SPS-S2B 3D-search tadar, one SPS-53 naviga:c:
enlisted men) radar, one SPS-408 air-search radar, one Mk 36 Super RBOC
-::j
Chali:;.-.
Cargo: total of 3134-m2 (33,735-sqft) one SPS-lOF au-search radar, one Mk
cher system with associated
vehicle parking area; four LCUs or two 86 gnrn fire-control system, two Mk 115 equipment, one URN-20 TAC;_\ =\{
fitted with a variable 17.7 m (58 ft) to
i9.5 m (64 ft) Ions, 5.8 m (19 ft) to 7,3 m
(24 ft) wide hangrar that can be ex-
tended to about 24.4 m (80 ft) long f
required. Up to six CH-46s can be
operated, although the hangrar can
accommodate only one utilrty helicop-
ter. The LVTP-7 capaclty is increased
Right: Similarto but larger than HMS
Fearless, USS Shreveport (LPD I 2),
can, like several of her sisters, act as
an am phibiou s s quadron flag s hip.
Below: The Austin class LPD USS
D:buque. From 1986 onwards this
class, together with the 'lwoJima'-
class LPHs, will undergo a service Irte
ex tension programme (SLEP ).
'Raleigh and'Austin Class (continued)

to 28 wrth aitemative ioads of one LCU
and three LCM6s or nlne LCM6s or
fow LCMBs. LPDT to LPD 13 are fitted
with amphibious squadron flagship
duties with an additional superstruc-
h:re deck. Both classes have satellite
communications systelns of the type
fitted to the LCCs, One 'Raleigh' and
seven 'Austin class ships sewe with
the Atlantic fleets, whilst srx 'Austin
class and the other 'Raleigh class shrlps
sewe in the Pacfic fleets
Specification:
Names: Raleigh(l,PDi) and Vancouv-
er (i,PD2): Auslrn (l,PD4), Ogden
(LPDS), Duluth (LPD6), Cleveland
(I,PDZ), Dubuque (IJPD8), Denver
ilPng) -/uneau (l,PD10), Coronado
il,pot i) S,lreveport (LPD12), /Vasfi -
vrlle (l,PltS), Trenton (i,PD14) and
Ponce (i,PDIS)
Commissioned: 1962 to 1971
Dsplacement: LPDI/2 13,900 tors full
loait: LPD4/6 15,900 tons fuil load;
LPDT/IO 16,550 tons full load: LPDI I/13
16,900 tons fi:ll load: l,PD14/i5 17'000
tons fir]l load
Dimensions: (LPDI and LPD2) Iength
159, I m (521.8 ft); beam 30.5 m (100 ft);
drauqht 6.7 m (22 ft); (i,PD4 to l,PD15)
lensrth U3.8m (570ft); beam 30,5m
(100 ft); draught 7 m (23 ft)
iropulsion: two geared steam twbines
dellvering 24,000 shp to two shafts
Speed: 2I lcts maximum aird 20 kts sus-
tained
Complement: LPDI 4I3 (24 officers
pius ggg enlisted men); LPD2 410 (23
officers plus 387 enlisted men); l,PD4
to LPD15 410-447 (24-5 officers pltts
386-442 enhsted men)
Flag grroup: LPDT to LPDI3 90
Troops: LPD1 to LPD6 930; LPDT to
LPD13 840; LPD14 and LPDIS 930
Cargo: LPD4 to LPDIS (LPDI/Z figures
are reduced shghtly) total 1034 1-m'
(1 l, I30-sq ft) vehicle parking area; one
LCU and three LCM6s or nine LCMOq
oitout t Ctr4gs or 28 LVTP-7s; 616 m3
(2I,750cuft) of palletized stores or
472 m3 (16,670 cuft) of ammunttlon;
5900 litres (22,335 US sat) of MOGAS
vehicle tuel; 368425 litres (97,328 US
qal) of AVGAS aviation fuel; 17035
litres (4,500 US gal) of AV-LUB oil;
litres (224,572 US gal) of
850095 JPS
avration fuel
Armament: LPDI/2 three twm Mk 33
?6,mm (3-in) AA gnins, l,PD4/15 two
twin Mk 33 76-mm (3-in) AA sruns; a[ to
be fitted with two 20-mm Mk 16 Pha-
lanx CIWS
Electronics: one SPS-I0 surface-
search radar, one SPS-40 air-search
radar, one URN-20 TACAN; one Mk 36
Super RBOC Chaftoc system to be
fitted in all

€ lii"*port'ctass Landing Ships Tank (tsr)

The 'Newport' class rePresents the
ultimate desigm in post-World War 11
LST desien. The vesseis use a pornted
bow which allows them to sustain the
speed of 20 kts required by American
amphibious ships. There are both bow
and stern ramps for unloading vehi-
cles. The 34{on aluminlum bow ramP
is34.14 m (112 ff) Iongandcancarryup
to 75{on loads. It is handled over the
bow by hvo supporting derrick arms
The stern ramp has direct access to
the tank deck to allow the unloadlng of
LVTP-7s directiy into the water' The
stern ramps can also be mated to a
landrng ciaJt or a pier for unloading
purposes. Vehicies are driven onto the
Iower deck via a 75ton capacity ramp
or throuqh a passaele in the superstruc-
hne that leads to the helicopter deck
aft. This has no hangar or helicopter
maintenance facllities. Four pontoon
causeway sections can be carried on
the hull iides. These are handled by
two derrick cranes located
mediately aft of the hvo funnel intakes.
The vehicle decks canaltematlvely be
r:sed for 500 tons of general cargo if
reqtured. Cargo space for ammurution'
diesel tuel, MOGAS tuel and AVGAS
zupplies are also available. A total of
nine shios are wrth the Atlantic fleets'
ard ninb wrth the Pacrfic fleets The
remarning two are vflth the Naval Re-
sewe Foice, one in the Atlantic and
one in the Pacific. An OEB2 satellite
USS Newpon (trST I I 79) standing iust
offshore and in the Process of
lowering her bow ramP for vehicle
disembarkation during a landing
exercise.
communicatiors antenna and WSC-3
transceiver is fitted on all shrPs
Soecification:
Ciass: Ner,rzport plus 19 others
Commissioned: 1969-72
Displacement: 8342-8450 tors full load
Dirnensions: lengrth 159.2 m (522.3 ft):
beam ZLZm (69.5f0; draught 5.3m
(17.5 ft)
iropuision: six diesels delivering
16,500 bhp to huo shafts
Speed: 20 kts sustained
Cbmplement: 225 (14 officers Plus 211
enlisted men)
Trmps: 43I (20 officers Plus 211 en-
im- listed men)
Carqo: totai 1765-m'z ( 19,000-sq ft) vehi-
cle iarlcrnq area for 25 LVTP-7s and 17
272-ton trutks, or 21 M4BiM6O MBTs
and. l'I ZVz'Ion trucks, or 500 tons of
general cargo; three LCVPs and one
in) AA gnrns (to be rePlaced bY two F r om above, U,SS Harlan CountY
LCpt';zZ3 m3 (2,550 cu ft) ammunition;
508900 litres (134,438 US ga1) of 20-mm Mk 16 Phalanx CIWS) &ST 1 I 96) displays the unusual lines
of the'Newport' class. Visible on the
AVGAS aviation fuel; 27230 litres (7, 194 Electronics: one SPS-10 surface-
US sal) of MOGAS vehicle tuel; 96i50 search radar, one LN/66 navig'ation hull sides astern of the funnek are
f ou r d e t achab le p on toon / c au s ew ay
lrtres (25,400 US qal) of diesel fuel radar, one Mk 36 SuPer RBOC Chaf-
secdons.
Amament: lwo twin Mk 33 76-mm (3- froc launcher system

E ,d"nitao','Thomaston' and'Anchorage' Class Landing Ships Dock (tSD)

The LSD ts a World War II desrgm for
-
c.arryrng landing craft and heavy-veht-
:]es-such as tanks. There are no 'Cabil-
do' class LSDs still ln service wlth the
remain in
-:.-Lted States Navy, but three
sen'rce wrth other navies: the Cfteng
.::: r'ath Taiwan, the l/a.flraloussa as
-:e HQ landing ship of the Greek navY
Galicra with Spain. The 9,375-
=i'ie
::: .-ll load 'Cabildo' class can carry
::ae I CUs or 18 LCM6s or 32 LVTP-S/
- :::lribrous carriers in its 103 m
i,:: it :cng. I3.3 m (43,66 ft) wide well
:::i lie class ca:r also carry i,347
::= :- :ergo. and 100 2/z{on trucks or
as well.
- - l'14t )'BTs or 1 t hehcopters
l::,:: ::::rrmodation G ilmited to 137
:;=::-;-: :: llc icr short daY rurs, The
:::-o:--::-:ers lE cficers and 283 en-
:::- luh:-,r:rum sPeed rs 15 4 ks
-:-:::-:= -i=:j::3ll?:s a vanabie num-
::---
:q: -i 1---:- .Li guls. A helicoPter
: --rl : '. i::=: :;er the well deck
=
-: -l- -.. :=.;-. lI malnienance
The 'Thomaston' class was the first
oost-World War II LSD design. and
itemmed from Korean War exPeri-
ences. The dockinq well rs 1192m
(391ft) lonq and 14.6m (48ft) wide,
utra cin aciommodate three LCUs or
19 LCM6s or nine LCMBs or 48 LVTP-
7s. A vehicle-parking area forward of
the dock can accommodate a further
30 LVTPs ifrequrred. The slup carries
two LCVPs and two LCPLs in davits'
but no palletized carqo is carrred. The
'Thomaston' class ships are due to be
relaced by the new Whidbey Island'
class,
The 'Anchorage' class is simtlar to
the 'Thomaston' class, but the shiPs
have a tripod mast to drstingnlsh them
USS Pensacola (lSD 38) oft the coast of
Massaciusetfs.'Anchorage'-class
lSDs were designed to incorPorate
Iessons Jearne d in World W ar I I and
Korea, and are similar to the
' T hom as ton' - cI ass lSDs.

r :i:
 €abildo','Thomaston' and'Anchorage' Class (continued)
l- :emovable helicopter landing plat-
j::= is fitted over the major part of the
':,:i<rng well; the sue of which has
:rer increased to I31, I m (430 ft) lonq
:1 i3.2 m (50 ft) wrde to accommodate
.::ee LCUs or 21 LCMGs or eight
-'lMBs or 50 LVTP-7s. The vessels also
:-::ry one or two LCM6s stowed on
:=:k and one LCPL and one LCVP on
::;its. Troop capacity is aiso in-
-:ased, Three Anchorage' class and
.'-':r Thomaston' class ships serve wrth
-:-: Atlaltic fleets whilst two 'Anchor-
=3e' and four 'Thomaston' class ships
re with the Pacific fleets. Both classes
:=-,'e the LCC satellite communrca-
:::u fit,
Specification:
Names: Tiomaston (LSDZB), Plymouth
-irk(LSD29), Fort Snellins (LSD30),
? cnt Defiance (LSD3 l), Spiegel Grore
.-SD32),, lamo (LSD33), Hermitase
.-SD34) and Monticello (LSD35);
.i.nchorge (LSD36), Poruand (LSD37),
Fensacola (LSD3B), Mount Vernon
:-SD39) and Fort Fisher (LSD40)
Commissioned: i954 to 1972
Amphibious assault ships
Displacement: LSD2Bi3l and LSD35
i1,270 tons tu]I load; LSD3Z34 12, 150
tons tull load; LSD36/40 13,700 tons firll
load
Dimensions: (LSD2B to LSD35) lengrth
155,5m (510f1), beam 25.6m (B4ft);
drausht 5.8 m (19 ft); (LSD36 to LSD40)
lensth 168,6 m (553.3 ft); beam 25,6 m
(84 ft); draught 6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion: hvo geared steam twbines
dehvering 24,000 shp to tvrio shafts
Speed: 22.5kts maximum and 20kts
sustained
Complement: LSD2Bi35 33I-341 (iB
off,cers plus 313-323 enhsted men),
and l,SD36/40 341-345 (18 officers pltis
323-328 enlisted men)
Troops: LSD2B/35 340, and LSD36/40
376
Cargo: LSD2B/35 (LSD36/40 1115-m2
(12,000-sq ft) vehicle parhng area) tot-
al 975-m'z,(10,500-sq ft) vehrcle parking
area; three LCUs or 19 LCM6s or (3-in) AA gnms; two 20-mm Mk 16 Pha- US.SAnchorage (LS D 36 ) is very
LCMBs or 4B LVTP-7s; B5 m3 lanx CIWS to be fitted gimilar to theearlier and marginally
(3,000 cu ft) ammunition; 4540 litres Electronics: one SPS-10 surface- smaller'T homaston' class ofiSDs.
(1,200 US gal) of AVGAS aviation or search radar, one SPS-6 (or SPS-40 in She can accommodate three LCUs or
MOGAS vehicle fuel; 147650 litres LSD36/40) au-search radar, one Mk 36 up to 48 Marine LWP-7 amphibians.
(39,000 US sal) of dlesel tue] Super RBOC Chaffroc system with
Armament: three twin Mk 33 76-mm associated ESM equrpment

Class .tunphibious Cargo Ships (tKA)

='iitrarleston'
'3lrrent1y only one of the five'Charles-
ton' class LKAs is assigmed as a firlly
active umt, The vessel is assigined to
-:re Atlantic fleet whilst the others are
:ssigned in parrs to the Navai Resewe
icrce Umts of the Atlantic ald Pacific
feets. The LKA rs desigmed to carry all
Jre heavy equipment and supphes for
ae amphibious assault lalding, and
are the first to be desigmedspecifcally
::rd built for the role. All previous ships
rf either the LKA or assau-lt tansport
..PA) types were either ionverted
lom or built to merchant ship desigms.
The class is fitted with a hehcopter
ianding pad aft but no hanqar or
=aintenance facilities are carried.
Troop accommodation ls limitedlo 226
.ut
-
four LCMBs, four LCM6s, two
CVPs and two LCPs are normally car-
:-ed as deck cargo. The landing craft
::d super heaw equipment are of-
.:aded by two 78.4-ton capacily
:ealyiift cranes. There are also two
ll-ton capacity boorns and eight 15{on
:apacity booms aboard. Cargo holds
-:r palletued stores and ammunition
-e provided together with vehicle
;arking areas.
O riginally
S
designated Attack C argo
hip (AKA), USS Durham ras
redes igmated Amphibious C argo
Ship (LI(A) in 1 969. The five-vessel
'Charleston' class was the first class
in the US Navy fitted with fully
automated main propulsi'n plants.
Specification:
Names: Charleston (LKAI l3), Durham
(LKAI14), Mohle (LKAI15), Sf -Lours
(LKA] 16) and El Paso (LKA] 17)
Commissioned: LKA]13 19 December
1968, LKA114 24 May 1969, LKA115 29
September 1969, LKAl16 22 Novem-
ber 1969 and LKAl17 17 1970
January
Displacement: 18,600 tons flrll load
175.4 m
Dimensions: lenqth (575.5 ft);
beam 1B.9m (62ft); draught 7,7m
(2s s ft)
Propulsion: one steam turbine deliver-
rng 19,250 shp to one shaft
Speed: 20 lts sustained
Complement: 325 (24 officers and 30I Cargo: not known Electronics: One LN/66 naviqation
er:listed men) Armament: three twin Mk 33 76-mm radar, one SPS-10 surface-search
Ttoops: 226 (15 officers pltts 211 en- (3-in) AA gms; two 20-mm Mk 16 Pha- radar, one Mk 36 Super RBOC Chaf-
hsted men) lanx CIWS to be fitted fooc launcher system

Class Transport Submarine

='6rayUack'
i-Ithouqh now classed as an attack sub-
:anne (SS) the USS Graybackwas orl-
;rally built wrth her near sister, USS
Srowler, as a cruise-missile sub-
::rine fitted to carry four Regulus
missiles in hvo hangars lo-
=ateqdc
=red forward, The Grayback oper-
=:ed rn this role until she decommrs-
:::red on 25 May 1964, She was then
:::rverted as a 'Grayback' class tras-
!c:i submadne and listed as APSS. In
-:--1ust 1968 this designation was
::a;rged to LPSS and then to SS in 1975
for administratlve reasons, to allow
continued funding suppod foom the US
Congrress.
The conversion to the transport role
I was carried out at the Mare Island
Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Bay
from November 1967 to May
involved lengthening the hull from
1969,
98,25m (322.33ft) to l01.Bm (334ft)
and fitting mess and sleeping accom-
modatron for the 67 troops to be car-
ried, The work also involved the mod-
ificatron of the missile hangars to carry
srx sr\rlrnmer delivery vehicles (SDV)
and to be used to launch and recover
both the SDVs and scuba-equipped dr-
vers underwater. The fin height was
arid
also increased and a Sperry BQG-4
Passive Underwater Fire Control Sys-
tem (PUFFS) sonar was fitted.
The submarine isusedto carry com-
USS Grayback, on e of the US Navy's
powered
last five conventional
submarines still in seruice. Since the
Iate 1960s she has acledas a
transport submarine for the United
S tates military covert action Special
Forces Unik, seeing action during
theVietnamWar.

,A
Gra.yback Class (continued)
E tib w"* Construction Amphibious Warfare Ships
-:-e first ol the new constructlon
'Whidbey Island' class was latd down
:- -i^:-rgust 1981 wrth an in-service date
:- 1384. The class is due to replace the
:-rht-ship 'Thomaston' class, which is
:pproachrnq the end of its US NavY
:a-reer. The flnal total of the 'Whidbey
;iaiid ciass is expected to be 10. The
l-.'stEE'I rs that of a modified 'Anchor-
age one with a 134, t m (440 ft) lonq by
-a 2 m (50 ft) wide well deck for either
-: .:r preloaded amphibious air cushion
';erlcles (LCAC) or three LCUs, or 2l
-3MOs, or 64 LVTP-7s. The helicopter
i:ck is iaised above the well deck in
:rjer to provide all-round ventilation
-:r Lhe qas-turbine LCACs. No hangar
-::Ities are provided, but the deck ls
:acable of taking tvvo Sikorsky CH-53
JAPAN
a 'Atsumi' and'Miura' Class Landing Ships Tank
USS Grayback3 bulbous hangar s
formerly housed four Regrulus cruise
rnissrTes, which were launched from
just ahead of the conning tower.
Mk 48 rs not carried because of the
lack of support facilitles at Subic Bay,
The torpedo flre control system ls the
Mk i06 Model 12,
Specification:
Name: Graybac,k (SS574)
Commissioned: 9 May 1969 (as LPSS)
Displacement: 2,670 tons surfaced and
3,650 tons dived
Dimensions: length 101.8 m (334 ft);
beam 8.3 m (21.2 ft); draught 5,8 m
(re ft)
Propulsion: three diesels delivering
4,800 shp and two electric motors de-
livering 5,500 shp to two shafts
Sea Stallions simultaneously. An addi-
tional two LCPLs, one LCVP and an
LCMO will be carried as deck cargo
and handled by two large cranes. For-
ward of the dockrng well are the vehi-
cle parking areas whilst a small palle-
tued cargo hold is available.
The other new shlp under construc-
tion is known as the Amphibious
Assault Ship Multi-Purpose (LHD),
This is reminiscent in appearance to
an LHA but combines the features of
the LHA with an LPD. The LHD will
transport more assault landing craft,
includinq the LCAC, and have a grrea-
ter helicopter capacity than the LHA.
The cargo fignrres are up to 38 Boeing
Vertol CH-46s in the hanqar plus more
on deck. two LCACs or 12 LCM6s,
and can carry more carqo, The 'Atsu-
mi' class was built by Sasebo HeavY
Industries and commisstoned be-
tween 1972 and 1977, whilst the Miura
class was built by the ishikawajima
Harima shipyard of Tokyo and com-
missioned between 1975 and 1977. The
'Atsumi'c1ass can carry 130 troops and
20 vehicles, together with two LCVPs
in davits and a third on deck,
amidships, The'Miura' class ships can
carry 190 troops and I,800 tons of cargto
or lO type 74 MBTs plus two LCVPs in
davits and two LCM6s on deck. The
LCMs are handled by a travelling gan-
try with folding rails that extend over
the ship's side to lower the craft into the
water, Any grround forces embarked
Speed: 20 kts sMaced and 16.7 kts di-
ved
Complement: 96 (10 officers plus 86
enlisted men)
Troops: 67 (seven officers plus 60 en-
3l30 m2 (33.700 sq tQ of vehicle park-
ing space. 1700 m' (60,000 cu ft) of
palletized stores and a troop capactty
of around 1,800, The first of the class
will enter service in 1989 to replace the
LPHs, Maximum speed will be 24 lts,
and the fuIl-load displacement 39,500
tons on a lengrth of 249 m (817 ft) and a
beam of 32.3 m (106 ft),
Specification:
Name'. Whidbey /s1and (LSD41) plus
nine others
Commissioning: 1984
Displacement: 15,726 tons fulI load
Dimensions: length 185.6m (609f1);
beam 25,6m (B4ft); draught 6.3m
(20.5 ft)
Propulsion: four diesels delivering
would have to come from the Japanese
Ground Self-Defense Force.
Specification:
Names: -Atsumi, Motobu and -l/emuro;
Miura, Ojika and Safsuma
Commissioned:'Atsumi' class 1972-7;
'Miura'class 1975-7
Displacement: 'Atsumi' 2,400 tons and
'Miura' 3,200 tons full load
Dimensions: 'Atsumi' class length 89 m
(291,9 ft); beam 13 m (42.6 ft); drauqht
2.6 m (8.5 ft); and'Miura' class lengrth
98m (321.4ft): beam i4m (45.9f1);
draught 3m (9.Bft)
Propulsion: two diesels delivering
hp to two shafts
4,400
Speed: 14 kts
listed men)
Cargo: six SDVs
Torpedo tr:bes: six 533-mm (21-in) Mk
52 bow and two 533-mm (21-in) stem
Sonar: one BQS-4, one BQG-4 (PUFFS)
41,600 bhp to hvo shafts
Speed: 22 kts
Complement: 376 (20 officers plus 356
enlisted men)
Troops: 440
Cargo: total l2 I 4-m'z ( I 3,075-sq ft) vehi-
cle parking area; four LCACs or three
LCUs or 2i LCM6s or 64 LVTP-7s plus
one LCM6, two LCPLs and one LCVP;
149 m3 (5,250 cu ft) of palletized stores
Armament: two 20-mm Mk 16 Phalanx
CIWS
Electronics: one SPS-49 air-search
radar, one SPS-67 surface-search
radar, one LN/66 navigation radar, one
Mk 36 Super RBOC Chaffooc system
wrth associated SLQ(V)- I ESM system,
one URN-25 TACAN
Complement: 'Atsumi' 100 and 'Miura'
118
Troops: 'Atsumi' 130 and 'Miura' 190
Cargo: 'Atsumi' 20 vehicles and three
LCVPs; 'Miura' 1,800 tons of stores or
vehicles, or l0 MBTs, plus two LCVPs
and two LCM6s
Armament: 'Atsumr' two twin 40-mm
AA gnrns; 'Miura' one twrn 76-mm (3-in)
Mk 33 AA gun, one twin 40-mm AA gmn
Electronics: 'Atsumi' one OPS-9 radar;
'Miura' one OPS-14 radar, one OPS-16
radar, one GFCS1 fue-control system
In spite of her many klands,JaPan
does not maintain asignificant
amphibious warfare capability. The
the'Miura' class, can
/arEresf vesse/,s,
accommodate and land up to ) 90
troops at a time, togetherwithup to
10 MBTs.
 Part t
South African Army
. he South AfiiCan Army may be regarded as a
:itizen's army, with its main strength found by con-
scripts formed around a nucleus of regular person-
rel. The regular force consists of about 1 b,500 per-
sonnel (excluding 2,000 women, but including b,500
3lack and Coloured regulars) who administer and
:rain some 50,000 conscripts at any one time. These
conscripts serve two years initially, and then spend
12 years on an active reserve with annual training
oeriods amounting to a Iotal of 720 days during that
period. After the 12-year period most citizens are
transferred to the Active Citizen Force for possible
recall to the army up to the age of 60, and thereafter
ihey may join Commando local-defence forces. To
these military formations can be added the police
and Police Reserves, and also the special defence
=orces responsible for the local defence of key in-
dustrial and military sites. Active reserves total
130,000.
Since the United Nations arms embargo of .1967
South Af rica has spent a great deal of time and effort
to build up its own indigenous arms industry. As a
result of licence production agreements and the
efforts of local design establishments, South Africa
s now completely independent in arms production,
producing everything from ammunition to vehicles
and artillery. This includes electronics, optics and
communication equipment. Some existing equip- nized regiments rely on reserve personnel io bring RATEL is an infantry fighting vehicle develo@ ta
ment has been updated to increase its useful ser- their operational numbers up to strength in ai replace the British-supplied S aracen ApC. M atn
r,ice life, a typical example being the development of emergency. armament can be a 20-mm cannon, 60-mm mor,,at
rew ammunition for the ex-British 140-mm (5.S-in) The standard South African tank is the Olifant, an or, as here, a 90-mm Wn.
guns. The standard service rifle is now the locally- updated Centurion, of which some 2b0 are in ser-
croduced 5.56-mm (0.22-inl G4 rifle, a local deriva- vice, while reconnaissance units use the Eland Mk
: on of the lsraeli Galil. Also in service is th e-7 .62-mm
Tigercat SAMs, and a number of 20-mm AA. *--:-
lV, a locally-produced armoured car of French ori-
0.3-in)and Heckler Koch G-3. Machineguns include gins. Some .1,400 Elands are currently in use. The
Rocket artillery is provided by the 127-r- :--
--ne Belgian FN GPMG Valkiri, and the infantry uses 106-mm 14.17-,r -e:;,-, -
and the Browning machine- MICV is the Ratel, produced to the extent of j,200
guns. Of the latter the 7.62-mm (0.3-in); version is less rifles, some 90-mm (3.5a-in) guns o^ €-:,:-
vehicles in severai forms, and additional protected anti-tank gun carriages, about 90 Gpdr ano ---:,:-
croduced locally with some modifications. Trucks mobility is derived from the widespread use of ab_
and mechanized infantry combat vehicles are all anti-tank guns, and SS.11 and about 120 r!.-:_
out 500 mine-proof vehicles such as the Buffel and anti-tank guided missiles. Mortars include &C---
ocally designed and produced, as is much of the Bulldog. Mine-proofing is also used on several
general support equipment such as trailers and 81-mm and 120-mm weapons.
variants of the locally-produced SAMIL trucks, and One arm of the SADF separate from the .:s: :.
'nedical equipment. on some special patrol and police vehicles such as
The army is divided among nine territorial com-
the army is the Surgeon-General's Arm, Th s s --
the Wildebeest. The bulk of the artillery uses about sponsible for all medical services includinc a-:_-
'nands, a recent addition being the South West 75 140-mm guns (ex-British b.S-in), 40 or more of
ifrica Territory Force (SWATF) operating only in lance, field medical services and military hisc -: -
the new 1 55-mm (6.1-in) G-S howitzer and some 65 The SADF is unique in this aspect of having a s::e-
South West Africa (Namibia). The army contains elderly 25-pdrs. Anti-aircraft defence is provided by rate medical arm.
roth all-white and all-Black and Coloured regiments. 25 40-mm Bofors guns, 15 94-mm (3.7-ln) AA guns,
-i.re standard language is Afrikaans. The bulk of the South African army's activ,t es -
only on-e regim- 55 K-63 twin 35-mm AA cannon, 24 Cactus and 54 recent years has been anti-SWApO operat.o-s :-
ent using English. Some mechanized regiments are
all-white, but many of the infantry regiments are
and over the Angolan border. These operai:--<
The I 55-mm G-5 howitzer has a range of ahout often take theform of deep penetrations inio A-j: :
:!l-Black, including some locally-recruited units such 30 lcrn (18 miles).In addition to its HE projectiles it by mechanized columns backed up by aircraft :-:
:s the Bushman's Battalions. Most of the mecha- hasbeen credited with nuclear capahility. some special-force units such as the speciai re::-_
naissance SAS-type unit and parachute units. Tre.:
penetration units will gradually be replacec i.
SWATF units, which will be South West A'rca- -
name only as most of the personnel will cont
be SADF in origin.
i- -: ::

South African Army order of battle

two divisional HOs (one armoured and one infari-,
one armoured brigade (two tan k and two mec- a- :::
infantry batralionsl
one mechanized brigade (one tank and three - +_ -r:- :::
infantry battalions)
four motorized bn_oades (one armoured -:,=-:: ,:r- :-r:
rhree infantry bailalionsi
one parachute brigade lthree battaliors
one spectal recor ^arssance Commara:
four medium artrllerv reoiments
nine field artrllerv r#im5nt.
:
seven light anti-airciaft artilteye_c e- :
",, "
one anti-aircraft missile reqimb- r ve
1 5 field engineersquadrons
-::- ::
three signals regiments