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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT

HARPERS FERRY landing ship-docks (1995 - 1998)

Harpers Ferry 2010

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
LSD49 Harpers Ferry 2359 Northrop Grumman Avondale, New Orleans 15.4.1991 16.1.1993 7.1.1995 in service (2019)
LSD50 Carter Hall 2369 Northrop Grumman Avondale, New Orleans 11.11.1991 2.10.1993 30.9.1995 in service (2019)
LSD51 Oak Hill 2371 Northrop Grumman Avondale, New Orleans 21.9.1992 11.6.1994 8.6.1996 in service (2019)
LSD52 Pearl Harbor 2379 Northrop Grumman Avondale, New Orleans 27.1.1995 24.2.1996 27.4.1998 in service (2019)

 

Displacement standard, t

11251 - 11604 light

Displacement full, t

16088 - 16601

Length, m

176.8 wl 185.8 oa

Breadth, m

25.6

Draught, m

6.04 hull

No of shafts

2

Machinery

4 Colt-Pielstick 16PC2.5 V400 diesels

Power, h. p.

41600

Max speed, kts

22

Fuel, t

diesel oil 2000

Endurance, nm(kts)

8000(18)

Armament

LSD49-51: 2 x 1 - 25/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster, 2 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, 8 x 1 - 12.7/90, helicopter deck

LSD52: 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116), 2 x 1 - 25/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster, 2 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, 8 x 1 - 12.7/90, helicopter deck

Military load

2 LCAC or 1 LCU or 4 LCM(8), 2 LCPL, 402 troops, vehicles

Electronic equipment

SPS-67(v)1, SPS-49(v)5, SPS-64(v)9, 2x Mk 90 radars, SLQ-32(v)2 ECM suite, 6x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy

Complement

334

Project history: A new LSD41 class was proposed to replace the eight Thomastons, but the Carter Administration deferred construction until Congress voted $41m in long-lead items in FY80; the Administration then announced the construction of six ships in alternate years, beginning in FY81. LSD41 has an enlarged well deck, 134.1x15.2m, adapted to carry four air cushion landing craft (LCAC) or twenty-one conventional LCM (6) landing craft; by way of comparison, the LHD will carry only three LCAC. Docking well can be flooded to 1.8m fwd/3.0m aft, when ship takes 12860t of water ballast. Ships also have 64.6x25.3m flight deck for up to CH-53E-size helicopters but with no hangars. 90t of aviation fuel are carried. There is 1214m² of vehicle parking space and 149m³ hold for palletized cargo fwd of the docking well.

    LSD41 was conceived as a near-repeat of Anchorage (LSD36) adapted to LCACs rather than LCMs. That required not only enlargement of the well deck, but also raising the helicopter deck to provide all-round ventilation for LCAC gas turbines. LSD 44-48 are further modified to incorporate collective protection against chemical or biological weapons.

    LSD49 and beyond are a modified Whidbey Island design, officially called the LSD41 Cargo Variant. They were originally requested under the FY88 budget, then withdrawn due to late design changes, and then approved by Congress. The idea originated in an analysis of Marine amphibious assault requirements, which showed that more cargo space was needed, but not in the ratio to LCAC 'spots' implicit in the LSD41 design. LSD49 was conceived as a simple substitution of cargo volume for well deck volume (leaving space for two LCAC or ten LCM). LSD49 has 1208m² of vehicle parking and 1133m³ of cargo volume. LCPLs on the deck are handled by one 30t crane.

    Plans called for a total of ten, beginning with LSD49 in FY88, LSD50 in FY90, then one per year after that. The 1992 budget stopped production at LSD51, but Congress included LSD52 in the FY92 programme.

Modernizations: 1997-1999, Harpers Ferry, Carter Hall, Oak Hill: + 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116)

late 2010s, some: - SPS-64(v)9 radar; + SPS-73 radar, SLQ-49 decoy RL

Naval service: No significant events.

Pearl Harbor 2003

© Ivan Gogin, 2016-19