Contents

1. General Aspects

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Types of Amphibious Ships

2. Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD)

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3. Dock Landing Ship (LSD)

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4. Amphibious Assault Ships - LHD/LHA

5. Landing Ship, Tank (LST)

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-10

Amphibious Crafts
6. Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC)
7. Landing Craft, Mechanized And Utility LCM/LCU

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Other Vehicles
8. Light Amphibious Resupply, Cargo(LARC) -16
9. Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV)

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General Aspects
An amphibious ship is understood as that destined to carry out
landing operations, sending men, weapons and materials necessary for actions
on land, directly or using the means that it transports (landing craft and
helicopters).
The amphibious operations developed during the Second World
War were carried out under the tactical concept of the availability of ships to
carry a combat force and directly situate it on the beach. After the Second World
Cup war many navies took over amphibious ships from the inventories of the
Royal Navy and especially of the US Navy.
An amphibious operation is a military operation launched from the
sea by naval and landing forces embarked in ships or craft involving a landing on
a hostile or potentially hostile shore. An amphibious operation requires
extensive air participation and is characterized by closely integrated efforts of
forces trained, organized, and equipped for different combat functions. The
complexity of amphibious operations and the vulnerability of forces engaged in
these operations require an exceptional degree of unity of effort and
operational coherence.
In recent years many large and medium-sized navies have included
amphibious ships with broad multipurpose capacities in their inventories,
capable of carrying out tasks of a military nature and in support for the civilian
population in cases of catastrophe or natural disaster. These are ships with a
displacement of between 8,000 and 40,000 tonnes at full load, capable of
operating for lengthy periods in waters far from their base and are equipped
with a capacity to operate landing craft and helicopters and in some cases
V/STOL aircraft.
The purpose of amphibious ships can be summarised as follows : Lifts the armed forces and deploys them far from its natural borders.
They carry troops and other armoured vehicles and their crew.
Very important in tactical warfare and deploying forces in carrying out
supreme attacks.
Also used in rendering assistance to civil authorities at the time of natural
calamities.

Types of Amphibious Ships

AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT DOCK (LPD)

MISSION: To transport and land troops, equipment, and supplies by means of

embarked landing craft and amphibious vehicles augmented by helicopter lift.

(Image : INS Jalashwa of Indian Navy)

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 for expeditionary warfare
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.

San Antonio class of US Navy

Landing Platform Dock [LPD] can ballast down in the water, thereby flooding
the well deck with enough water to enable various sized landing craft to enter
the well deck through the stern gate door. Once docked inside the well deck,
troops, supplies and combat equipment can be loaded into or off of the
amphibious boats and vehicles while simultaneously transporting troops and
equipment via helicopter from the flight deck.
The LPD has a helicopter platform built over a well deck in the rear of
the vessel. This provides the tactical advantage of being able to lift troops, their
combat equipment and supplies onto the same ship. Therefore, the ship
contributes to all phases of the amphibious assault. The well deck are upper and
lower vehicle storage areas, which hold most of the embarked troops' heavy
combat equipment, such as tanks, tracked amphibious landing vehicles (AAV),
jeeps and trucks.

INS Jalashwa is an amphibious transport dock currently in service with the

Indian Navy. Formerly USS Trenton, she, was procured from the United States
by India in 2005. She was commissioned on 22 June 2007. INS She is based in
Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command.
Speed: 20 knots
Boats & landing craft carried:
1 LCAC, or

(Landing Craft, Air Cushion)

1 LCU, or

(Landing Craft Utlity)

4 LCM-8, or
9 LCM-6, or

(Landing Craft Mechanized)

24 AAV

(Amphibious Assault Vehicle)

DOCK LANDING SHIP (LSD)

MISSION: To transport and land troops, equipment, and supplies by means of

embarked landing craft and amphibious vehicles augmented by helicopter lift.

(Image : USS Harpers Ferry )

A dock landing ship (also called landing ship, dock or LSD) is an

amphibious warfare ship with a well dock to transport and launch landing craft
and amphibious vehicles. Some ships with well decks, such as the Soviet Ivan
Rogov class, also have bow doors to enable them to deliver vehicles directly onto
a beach.
Dock Landing Ships support amphibious operations including landings
via Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft and helicopters,
onto hostile shores.

An amphibious connector prototype embarks the amphibious dock landing ship USS
Rushmore (LSD 47)

Difference between a Landing Ship Dock [LSD] and a Landing Platform Dock
[LPD] : Initially the LPD had a helicopter landing deck, whereas the LSD did not.
More recently, while the LSD has acquired a helicopter landing deck, it lacks the
helicopter hangar found on the LPD. American LSDs typically carry 400-500
troops, while the LPDs carry 700-900 troops.
LSDs are focused on cargo and LPDs on personnel.

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS - LHD/LHA

MISSION: Land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious

assault.
(Image : USS America (LHA-6))

LHA- Landing ship, Helicopter Assault: General-purpose amphibious assault

ships that serve both landing craft and helicopters, with a primary emphasis on
aviation rather than landing craft.
LHD - Landing ship, Helicopter Dock: Multi-purpose amphibious assault ships
that can deliver, elements of a landing force by air and amphibious craft.
These assault ships have a full length flight deck and a starboard island [like
an aircraft carrier]. This is the most obvious difference with other ships like LPDs.
With the exception of America-class ships, LHA-6 and LHA-7, all other LHAs and
LHDs have well deck.

Well Deck Plan of LHA

LCAC -

1 / 0

LCU -

2 / 4

Well Deck Plan of LHD

LCAC -

3 / 0

LCU -

0 / 2

Well Deck Of USS Boxer (LHD-4) and an LCU (Landing Craft Utility)

LANDING SHIP, TANK (LST)

MISSION: Shore to shore delivery of tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, and

troops.
(Image: INS Airavat)

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In the WW II era, there was a need for relatively large, ocean-going

ships that could handle shore-to-shore delivery of tanks and other vehicles in
amphibious assaults. As an interim measure, three shallow-draft tankers were
converted to LSTs. Bow doors and ramps were added to these ships, which
became the first tank landing ships. These modifications made it possible for
vehicles to disembark directly from the ship to the beach.

Trucks driven down the ramp of an LST

INS Airavat is the third Shardul-class tank landing ship of the

Indian Navy. She was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata
and began sea trials in July 2008 after completing basin trials in May.
While primarily designed for amphibious assault operations, Airavat's
missions also include humanitarian assistance & disaster relief (HADR) during
natural disasters, including tsunamis, cyclones and earthquakes. She has a fully
functioning hospital on-board, the capacity to carry 500 soldiers, and can
provide stern refueling for other naval vessels.
Capacity of the INS Airavat:
11 MBT (Main Battle Tank)
10 infantry trucks
500 troops
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Amphibious Crafts

LANDING CRAFT, AIR CUSHION (LCAC)

MISSION: Air cushioned vehicle for transporting, ship-to-shore and across the
beach, personnel, weapons, equipment, and cargo of the assault elements
(Image: A US Navy LCAC)

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The Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), a class of air-cushion vehicle (hovercraft),
is a high-speed, over-the-beach fully amphibious landing craft, capable of
carrying a 60-75 ton payload. It is used to transport the weapons systems,
equipment, cargo and personnel of the assault elements of the Marine AirGround Task Force from ship to shore and across the beach.
LCAC can carry heavy payloads, such as an M-1 tank, at high speeds.
The LCAC payload capability and speed combine to significantly increase the
ability of the Marine Ground Element to reach the shore. Air cushion technology
allows this vehicle to reach more than 70 percent of the world's coastline, while
only about 15 percent of that coastline is accessible by conventional landing
craft.

Zubr class LCAC, world's largest hovercraft

The versatile LCAC can traverse snow, marsh, ice, tundra and sand. On land, it
can traverse obstacles as high as four feet. On missions ranging from
transporting cargo to minesweeping, the LCAC is designed to function in
extreme conditions ranging from Arctic cold to Sahara heat.

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LANDING CRAFT, MECHANIZED AND

UTILITY - LCM/LCU

MISSION: Transporting tracked or wheeled vehicles and troops from

amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers.
(Image: A US Navy LCU)

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Landing craft are used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops
to the shore. Landing craft are also used to support civilian
humanitarian/maritime operations.
LCMs have a bow ramp for onload/offload. LCUs have both bow and stern ramps
for onload/offload and have the ability to operate at sea for up to 10 days.
The use of landing craft in amphibious assault dates from World War II. The craft
are carried aboard amphibious assault ships to the objective area
Capacities:
Troops 350
Cargo - 170 tons
Vehicle capacity - 2 M1A1 (tank)
Multiple other vehicles

India currently has six LCUs of the Mk III class and four LCUs of the Mk IV class.

Indian Navy Landing Craft Utility built by GRSE

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Other Vehicles
LIGHT AMPHIBIOUS RESUPPLY, CARGO (LARC)

LARC-V Vehicle

Aluminium-hulled amphibious vehicle to transport onto the beach, personnel

and cargo discharged from deep-water ships. Originally it was used to ferry
supplies from ship to shore, or if required, further inland.
In addition to the United States, LARCs have been used by military forces in
Australia, Argentina, Portugal, The Philippines and Iceland. LARC-Vs were used
extensively by the US Army and Navy for beach supply during the Vietnam War.
The LARC-V had:
Maximum speed
9 knots (water)
30 mph (land)
Cargo capacity
5t
It can also carry 20 fully equipped troops, plus the crew of three.

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AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE (AAV)

Designed to assault any shoreline from the well decks of Navy assault ships,
AAVs are highly mobile, tracked armored amphibious vehicles that transport
troops and cargo to and through hostile territory.
Typically, the first vehicles to land during beach raids and assaults. Operates at
speeds of 72 km/h on land; 8-10 knots in water.
Can fire on land and water. Enough fuel to drive 500 km inland.
Eight smoke grenade launchers. Turret armed with .50 cal machinegun and
40mm grenade launcher
Presently manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems. Mitsubishi is also building an
amphibious assault vehicle.

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References
US Navy - http://www.navy.mil
Wikipedia
http://www.military-today.com/
http://www.navsource.org/

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