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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT

NEWPORT tank landing ships (1969 - 1972)

Saginaw 1972

Newport 1979

Newport 1990

Frederick 2000

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
LST1179 Newport   Philadelphia N Yd 1.11.1966 3.2.1968 7.6.1969 to Mexico 5.2001 (Sonora)
LST1180 Manitowoc   Philadelphia N Yd 27.2.1967 4.1.1969 24.1.1970 to Taiwan 7.1996 (中和 [Chung Ho])
LST1181 Sumter   Philadelphia N Yd 14.11.1967 13.12.1969 20.6.1970 to Taiwan 9.1993 (中平 [Chung Ping])
LST1182 Fresno 361 National Steel, San Diego 16.12.1967 28.9.1968 22.11.1969 stricken 12.2008
LST1183 Peoria 362 National Steel, San Diego 24.2.1968 23.11.1968 21.2.1970 stricken 11.2002
LST1184 Frederick 363 National Steel, San Diego 13.4.1968 8.3.1969 11.4.1970 stricken 11.2002, to Mexico (Usumacinta)
LST1185 Schenectady 364 National Steel, San Diego 2.8.1968 24.5.1969 13.6.1970 stricken 7.2001
LST1186 Cayuga 365 National Steel, San Diego 28.9.1968 12.7.1969 8.8.1970 to Brazil 11.1996 (Mattoso Maia)
LST1187 Tuscaloosa 366 National Steel, San Diego 23.11.1968 6.9.1969 24.10.1970 stricken 12.2008
LST1188 Saginaw 367 National Steel, San Diego 24.5.1969 7.2.1970 23.1.1971 stricken 8.1994, to Australia (Kanimbla)
LST1189 San Bernardino 368 National Steel, San Diego 12.7.1969 28.3.1970 27.3.1971 to Chile 6.1999 (Valdivia)
LST1190 Boulder 369 National Steel, San Diego 6.9.1969 22.4.1970 4.6.1971 stricken 12.2008
LST1191 Racine 370 National Steel, San Diego 13.12.1969 15.8.1970 9.7.1971 stricken 12.2009
LST1192 Spartanburg County 371 National Steel, San Diego 7.2.1970 7.11.1970 1.9.1971 stricken 12.1994, to Malaysia (Sri Inderapura)
LST1193 Fairfax County 372 National Steel, San Diego 28.3.1970 19.12.1970 16.10.1971 stricken 8.1994, to Australia (Manoora)
LST1194 La Moure County 373 National Steel, San Diego 22.5.1970 13.2.1971 18.12.1971 damaged 12.9.2000, never repaired
LST1195 Barbour County 374 National Steel, San Diego 7.11.1970 15.5.1971 12.2.1972 stricken 7.2001
LST1196 Harlan County 375 National Steel, San Diego 7.11.1970 27.7.1971 8.4.1972 to Spain 4.1995 (Pizarro)
LST1197 Barnstable County 376 National Steel, San Diego 19.12.1970 2.10.1971 27.5.1972 to Spain 8.1994 (Hernán Cortés)
LST1198 Bristol County 377 National Steel, San Diego 13.2.1971 4.12.1971 5.8.1972 stricken 7.1994, to Morocco (سيدي محمد بن عبدالله [Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah])

 

Displacement standard, t

 

Displacement full, t

8342

Length, m

159.2 oa over hull, 171.3 oa over derrick arms

Breadth, m

21.2

Draught, m

5.30

No of shafts

2

Machinery

LST1179-1181: 6 General Motors 16-645-E5 diesels

LST1182-1198: 6 Alco 16-251 diesels

Power, h. p.

16500

Max speed, kts

20

Fuel, t

diesel oil

Endurance, nm(kts) 14250(14)

Armament

2 x 2 - 76/50 Mk 33, helicopter deck

Military load 29 tanks or 2000 t of cargo, 385 troops, 3 LCVP, 1 LCP

Electronic equipment

LN-66, SPS-10F, 2x Mk 34 radars

Complement

218

Project history: With these ships the Amphibious Force finally attained its goal of 20kt performance throughout. The many failures to design a fast LCT showed primarily that radical measures were required; in these ships there is a normal ship-shaped bow, but the upper portion splits and a long causeway was lowered through a gallows above; the bow ramp was 31.4m long. There was also a stern ramp which permitted unloading of LVTs into the water or into a landing craft or on to a pier. Above it was a helicopter deck; there was no hangar. Capacity was 385 troops, 29 tanks or 23 AAV-7A1 on lower deck and 29 2.5-ton trucks on upper deck and 500 tons of cargo; vehicles can be driven down to the lower deck via a ramp, or through the superstructure on to the helicopter deck aft. A 9m turntable at each end of the tank deck permits vehicles to turn round without having to reverse. There were davits for up to four LCVP. Four pontoon causeway sections can be carried on the hull sides.

    The size and speed of the Newport class programme suggested the urgency of new amphibious construction in the late 1960s; one analyst has suggested that amphibious craft were one programme that Secretary of Defense McNamara's men strongly supported, as an essential element of the US force protection capability. Thus the prototype was ordered in FY65, followed by eight in FY66, and then by eleven in FY67.

    With the advent of the LHAs, with their large well decks and vast cargo spaces, the rationale of the LSTs came into question, and as this was written the Newports were perhaps the least valuable of the specialized amphibious ships. They may well become obsolescent as amphibious doctrine shifts to distant assault with air-cushion vehicles (LCAC), which can be launched from beyond the horizon, and whose range and speed add considerably to the element of surprise in an amphibious assault.

Modernizations: 1977-1978, all: - 2x Mk 34 radars

early 1990s, all except Schenectady: - 2 x 2 - 76/50, LN-66 radar; + SPS-64(v)9 radar

late 1980s, Newport, Manitowoc, Sumter, Spartanburg County, La Moure County; early 1990s, Fresno, Peoria, Cayuga, Tuscaloosa, Saginaw, San Bernandino, Fairfax County, Harlan County, Barnstable County, Bristol County, late 1990s, Frederick, Schenectady, Boulder, Racine, Barbour County: + 1 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, Mk 90 radar

Naval service: No significant events.

Schenectady 1988

© Ivan Gogin, 2015