USSNewport (LST-1179)
Class overview
Builders	Philadelphia Naval Shipyard National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Operators	Initial  United States Navy Export  Royal Australian Navy  Brazilian Navy  Chilean Navy  Royal Malaysian Navy  Mexican Navy  Royal Moroccan Navy  Republic of China Navy  Spanish Navy
Preceded by	De Soto County class
Succeeded by	Landing Craft Air Cushion
Built	1966–1972
In commission	1969–present
Planned	27
Completed	20
Canceled	7
Active	4
Lost	1
Retired	16
General characteristics As built
Type	Tank landing ship
Displacement	4,793long tons (4,870 t) light 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) full load
Length	522 ft 4 in (159.2 m)oa 562 ft (171.3 m) overderrick arms
Beam	69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draft	17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max
Propulsion	2 shafts 6 ALCO or GMdiesel engines (3 per shaft) 16,500 shp (12,300 kW) Bow thruster
Speed	22knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) max
Range	2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Troops	431 troops or29 tanks and other vehicles
Complement	213
Sensors & processing systems	2 × Mk 63 GCFS SPS-10radar
Armament	2 × twin3"/50 caliber guns

Newport-class tank landing ships were an improved class oftank landing ship (LST) designed for and employed by theUnited States Navy from 1969 to 2002. The ships were intended to provide substantial advantages over theirWorld War II-era predecessors. Larger and faster than any previous LST design, they carried a ramp over thebow that allowed them to surpass 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), a goal of the United Statesamphibious forces. 27 were planned of which twenty were completed, the high number due to the demands of US force projection estimates. However, the arrival of theair-cushioned landing craft which allowed for over-the-horizon attacks made the class obsolete in the eyes of the United States Navy. Placed inreserve, twelve were eventually sold to foreign navies, while the remaining eight have since beendecommissioned.

TheNewport class were designed under projectSCB 247^[1] to meet the goal put forward by the United Statesamphibious forces to have atank landing ship (LST) capable of over 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). However, the traditionalbow door form for LSTs would not be capable of such speed. Therefore, the designers of theNewport class came up with a design of a traditionalship hull with a 112-foot (34 m)aluminum ramp slung over the bow supported by twoderrick arms. The 34-long-ton (35 t) ramp was capable of sustaining loads up to 75 long tons (76 t). This made theNewport class the first to depart from the standard LST design that had been developed in earlyWorld War II.^[2][3][4]

LSTs of theNewport class had adisplacement of 4,793 long tons (4,870 t) when light and 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) at full load. They were 522 feet 4 inches (159.2 m)long overall and 562 ft (171.3 m) over thederrick arms which protruded past the bow.^[3][4] They had abeam of 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m), adraft forward of 11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) and 17 ft 5 in (5.3 m) at the stern at full load.^[5]

The first three ships of the class were fitted with sixGeneral Motors 16-645-ESdiesel engines, while the remainder of the class were fitted with sixALCO 16-251 diesel engines turning twoshafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at 16,500brake horsepower (12,300 kW) and gave the ships a maximum speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) for short periods and could only sustain 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) for an extended length of time. The LSTs carried 1,750 long tons (1,778 t) ofdiesel fuel for a range of 2,500nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at the cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). The ships were also equipped with abow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles.^[4][6]

TheNewport class were larger and faster than previous LSTs and were able to transport tanks, heavy vehicles and engineer groups and supplies that were too large for helicopters or smaller landing craft to carry.^[7] The LSTs have a ramp forward of thesuperstructure that connects the lower tank deck with the main deck and a passage large enough to allow access to the parking area amidships. The vessels are also equipped with a stern gate to allow the unloading of amphibious vehicles directly into the water or to unload onto autility landing craft (LCU) or pier. At either end of the tank deck there is a 30 ft (9.1 m) turntable that permits vehicles to turn around without having to reverse.^[2][3] TheNewport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (508 t) of vehicles, 19,000 ft² (1,800 m²) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops.^[2][8] The vessels also havedavits for fourvehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull.^[3][4]

TheNewport class were initially armed with four Mark 333-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twinturrets. They were equipped with two Mk 63gun control fire systems (GCFS) for the 3-inch guns, but these were removed in 1977–1978.^[4] They also had SPS-10 surface searchradar.^[9] Atop the stern gate, the vessels mounted ahelicopter deck. They had a maximum complement of 213 including 11 officers.^[7]

The first vessel of the class,Newport was ordered as part of Fiscal Year (FY) 1965. The next eight were authorized in FY 1966, followed by eleven in 1967. The first three LSTs were constructed byPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania and the remaining seventeen byNational Steel and Shipbuilding ofSan Diego, California. Seven more were ordered in FY 1971, but these were later deferred, then canceled.^[7][8] Beginning in FY 1981, ships of the class were transferred to theNaval Reserve Force.^[10]

By 1994, the 3-inch guns had been removed as a weight saving measure. The 1987 introduction ofLanding Craft Air Cushion (LCACs) — which allowed the United States Navy to launch over-the-horizon amphibious landings — made theNewport class obsolete, but they remained with the fleet for another decade because they were the only means by which the hundreds of thousands of gallons of motor vehicle fuel needed by aMarine Expeditionary Force could be landed. Only the development oftankers with the Offshore Petroleum Discharge System (OPDS) and the later development of special fuel bladders which gave the LCACs a tanker capability allowed for their retirement.^[1][3]

Two LSTs were acquired by theRoyal Australian Navy in 1994;Sagainaw on 25 August andFairfax County on 27 September. RenamedKanimbla andManoora, the two vessels underwent conversion in May 1995 atForgacs Shipbuilding,Newcastle, New South Wales. The LSTs were significantly modified by removing their bow ramps and adding another deck over the bow of the ship, allowing for a third landing spot and increased aviation fuel capacity. Over the new deck twoLCM-8 landing craft are carried when the third landing spot is not used, handled by a 70-ton crane. Improved medical facilities were constructed. Ahangar was installed aft, allowing for the stowage of fourSeahawk helicopters.^[12][13] Both ships were based atSydney, Australia.^[13] The two vessels were taken out of service in 2011 and replaced byHMAS Choules and theCanberra-class landing helicopter docks.^[14]

TheBrazilian Navy leased oneNewport-class LST from the United States on 26 August 1994.Cayuga was renamedMattoso Maia and arrived in October. The vessel was acquired outright on 19 September 2000. Negotiations for a second vessel,Peoria, were unsuccessfully ended in 2001.^[17]

TheChilean Navy leased one vessel of the class from the US. A second was offered, but the ship's poor condition led to it being rejected.San Bernardino was leased on 30 September 1995 and renamedValdivia. In 1997, the LST ran aground and was damaged.Valdivia was refloated and repaired.^[18] Due to the age of the vessel,Valdivia was taken out of service on 14 January 2011.^[19]

TheRoyal Malaysian Navy acquired oneNewport-class LST from the United States on 16 December 1994. A second was to be leased in 1998, but the option was not taken up.Spartanburg County arrived in Malaysia in June 1995 and was renamed KDSri Inderapura. The vessel was refit between 1995 and 1998 atJohore. On 15 December 2002, the ship was damaged by fire.^[21] On 8 October 2009, while berthed at theLumut Naval Base,Sri Inderapura caught fire and sank. The vessel was later raised.Sri Inderapura was officiallydecommissioned by the Royal Malaysian Navy on 21 January 2010.^[22][23]

Mexico acquired two ships from the United States.Newport was purchased on 18 January 2001 and renamedSonora by theMexican Navy, before becomingRio Papaloapan.Frederick was purchased on 9 December 2002 and renamedUsumacinta.^[24]Rio Papaloapan is based atTampico andUsumacinta atManzanillo.^[25]

TheRoyal Moroccan Navy acquired one ship from the United States as a grant transfer on 16 August 1994.Bristol County was renamedSidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah upon entering Moroccan service. The LST was acquired to replace the agingArrafiq. By late 1995,Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah was considered non-operational but was later returned to service.^[26]

Two ships were leased by theSpanish Navy from the United States. The first,Barnstable County was recommissioned into the Spanish Navy on 26 August 1994 and renamedHernán Cortés. The second,Harlan County, recommissioned on 14 April 1995 and was renamedPizarro. Both ships were based atRota, Spain.^[27]Hernán Cortés was initially to be decommissioned in 2006, but continued until 2009, when the vessel was taken out of service. The LST was scrapped at Arinaga,Gran Canaria, Spain in 2014.^[28][29]Pizarro was decommissioned in December 2012 and sold for scrap in February 2016 and was broken up in El Puerto de Santa Maria beginning in March.^[30]

Two ships were leased by theRepublic of China Navy (ROCN) from the United States on 1 July 1995.Manitowoc andSumter were taken toNewport News Shipbuilding and refitted before being recommissioned into the ROCN on 8 May 1997 and renamedChung Ho andChung Ping respectively. The two ships were purchased on 29 September 2000.^[31]

• Kanimbla-class landing platform amphibious

• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1972).Jane's Fighting Ships 1972–73. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company.OCLC 28197951.
• Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986).Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
• Friedman, Norman (2002).U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History.Annapolis, Maryland:United States Naval Institute.ISBN 1-55750-250-1.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Moore, John, ed. (1974).Jane's Fighting Ships 1974–75 (77th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-02743-0.
• Moore, John, ed. (1975).Jane's Fighting Ships 1975–76 (78th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03251-5.
• Moore, John, ed. (1976).Jane's Fighting Ships 1976–77 (79th ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03261-2.
• Moore, John, ed. (1978).Jane's Fighting Ships 1978–79 (81st ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03297-3.
• Moore, John, ed. (1980).Jane's Fighting Ships 1980–81 (83rd ed.). New York: Jane's Publishing Incorporated.ISBN 0-531-03937-4.
• Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1990).Jane's Fighting Ships 1990–91 (93 ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group.ISBN 0-7106-0904-3.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004).Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc.ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009).Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc.ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toLST-1179 Newport Class tank landing ships.

• Federation of American Scientists page onNewport class

• Amphibious warfare vessel classes
• Newport-class tank landing ships
• Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
• Vietnam War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
• Tank landing ships

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