An amphibious transport dock, also called a landing platform dock (LPD), is an amphibious warfare ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a

landing force A landing operation is a military action during which a landing force, usually utilizing landing craft, is transferred to land with the purpose of power projection ashore. With the proliferation of aircraft, a landing may refer to amphibious force ...

for

expeditionary warfare Expeditionary warfare is a military invasion of a foreign territory, especially away from established bases. Expeditionary forces were in part the antecedent of the modern concept of rapid deployment forces. Traditionally, expeditionary forces w ...

missions. Several navies currently operate this kind of ship. The ships are generally designed to transport troops into a war zone by sea, primarily using landing craft, although invariably they also have the capability to operate transport helicopters. Amphibious transport docks perform the mission of amphibious transports,

amphibious cargo ship Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built ...

s, and the older dock landing ships (LSD) by incorporating both a flight deck and a well deck that can be ballasted and deballasted to support landing craft or amphibious vehicles. The main difference between LSDs and LPDs is that while both have helicopter landing decks, the LPD also has hangar facilities for protection and maintenance. In the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, the newer class of LPD has succeeded the older classes of LSDs, and both the Navy and

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

are looking to the LPD to be the basis of their new

LX(R) The LX(R) class (formerly LSD(X) class) is a class of amphibious warfare ships under development for the United States Navy, to be contracted from 2020, as a replacement for the current and dock landing ships. The LX(R) is expected to enter s ...

program to replace their LSDs.

LPD classes

Decommissioned

Gallery

File:LCVP III in Hr.Ms. Rotterdam.JPG, The well deck of File:Aboard HNLMS Johan De Witt (L 801).jpg, Aviation hangar of the ''Rotterdam''-class HNLMS ''Johan de Witt'' File:USSJuneausternflood.JPG, Stern of ballasted for amphibious operations File:Siroco2.jpeg, The open well deck of the File:USS San Antonio AAV02.jpg, The well deck of

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amphibious Transport Dock Ship types Amphibious warfare vessels

LPD classes

Decommissioned

Gallery

See also

References