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Adock landing ship (also calledlanding ship, dock orLSD) is anamphibious warfare ship with awell dock to transport and launchlanding craft andamphibious vehicles.[1] Some ships with well decks, such as the SovietIvan Rogov class, also have bow doors to enable them to deliver vehicles directly onto a beach (like atank landing ship). Modern dock landing ships also operate helicopters.
A ship with a well deck (docking well) can transfer cargo to landing craft in rougher seas far more easily than a ship which has to use cranes or a stern ramp.[2] The U.S. Navyhull classification symbol for a ship with a well deck depends on itsfacilities for aircraft—a (modern) LSD has ahelicopter deck, alanding platform dock also has a hangar, and alanding helicopter dock orlanding helicopter assault has a full-lengthflight deck.[2]
The LSD (U.S. Navyhull classification for landing ship, dock) came as a result of a British requirement during theSecond World War for a vessel that could carry large landing craft across the seas at speed. The predecessor of all modern LSDs isShinshū Maru of theImperial Japanese Army, which could launch her infantry landing craft using an internal rail system and a stern ramp. She entered service in 1935 and saw combat in China and during the initial phase of Japanese offenses during 1942.
The first LSD of theRoyal Navy came from a design bySir Roland Baker who had designed the Britishlanding craft tank. It was an answer to the problem of launching small craft rapidly. The landing ship stern chute, which was a converted train ferry (Train Ferry No. 1 which had been built for British Army use in theFirst World War), was an early attempt. Thirteenlanding craft mechanized (LCM) could be launched from these ships down the chute. The landing ship gantry was a convertedtanker with a crane to transfer its cargo of landing craft from deck to sea—15 LCM in a little over half an hour.[3]
The design was developed and built in the U.S. for the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy. The LSD could carry 36 LCM at 16knots (30 km/h). It took one and a half hours for the dock to be flooded down and two and half to pump it out. When flooded they could also be used as docks for repairs to small craft. Smaller landing craft could be carried in the hold as could full-tracked and wheeled amphibious assault or support vehicles.
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In the U.S. Navy, two related groups of vessels classified as LSDs are in service as of 2023, theWhidbey Island andHarpers Ferry classes, mainly used to carry hovercraft (LCACs), operate helicopters, and carryMarines.[4]
The BritishRoyal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) operates threeBay-class landing ships based on the Dutch-SpanishEnforcer design in support of the Royal Navy's operations, while a fourth ship of the class—previously in RFA service—is now operated by theRoyal Australian Navy.
Former U.S. LSDs include theAshland class,Casa Grande class,Thomaston class, andAnchorage class.
| Country | Class | In service | Commissioned | Length | Beam | Draft | Displacement (mt) | Note | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | Choules (L-100) | 1 | 2011 | 176.6 m (579 ft) | 26.4 m (87 ft) | 5.8 m (19 ft) | 17,810 | Ex-RFALargs Bay (L3006) sold to Royal Australian Navy in April 2011. |  |
 Taiwan | Hsu Hai (LSD-193) | 1 | 2000 | 169 m (554 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 6.1 m (20 ft) | 14,225 | Ex-USSPensacola (LSD-38) sold to Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy in 2000. | _departs_San_Diego_Bay.jpg) |
 Russia | Ivan Gren | 2 | 2016 | 120 m (390 ft) | 16.0 m (52.5 ft) | 6,600 | Two more building to an improved design | .jpg) | |
 United Kingdom | Bay | 3 | 2007 | 176.6 m (579 ft) | 26.4 m (87 ft) | 5.8 m (19 ft) | 17,810 |  | |
 United States | Whidbey Island | 6 | 1985 | 186 m (610 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 5.94 m (19.5 ft) | 16,100 | .jpg) | |
| Harpers Ferry | 4 | 1995 | 185.80 m (609.6 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 5.94 m (19.5 ft) | 19,600 | _approaches_Military_Sealift_Command_fleet_replenishment_oiler_USNS_Tippecanoe_(T-AO_199)_for_an_underway_replenishment.jpg) |
| Country | Class | Out of service | Commissioned | Length | Beam | Draft | Displacement (mt) | Note | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | Cándido de Lasala (Q-43) | 1 | 1970–1981 | 139.5 m (458 ft) | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) | 4.83 m (15.8 ft) | 7,930 | Ex-USSGunston Hall (LSD-5) sold to Argentina in 1970, scrapped after 1981. |  |
 Brazil | Ceará (G-30),Rio de Janeiro (G-31) | 2 | 1990–2012 | 160 m (520 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 5.94 m (19.5 ft) | 11,989 | Ex-USSHermitage (LSD-34) loaned in 1989 and later sold to Brazilian Navy, sunk as target 2021; ex-USSAlamo (LSD-33) loaned to Brazilian Navy in 1990, scrapped 2015 Turkey. | .jpg) |
| Taiwan | Chung Cheng (LSD-191) | 1 | 1977–1985 | 139.5 m (458 ft) | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) | 4.83 m (15.8 ft) | 7,930 | Ex-USSWhite Marsh (LSD-8) loaned to the ROC Navy in 1960, scrapped 1985. | |
| Chung Cheng (LSD-191) | 1 | 1984–2012 | 139.5 m (458 ft) | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) | 4.83 m (15.8 ft) | 7,930 | Ex-USSComstock (LSD-19) sold for scrapping 1984, salvaged by ROC Navy, sunk as artificial reef June 2015. | _underway_off_Korea_1951.jpg) | |
 Soviet Union | Ivan Rogov | 3 | 1978–2002 | 157 m (515 ft) | 23.8 m (78 ft) | 6.7 m (22 ft) | 14,060 | Ivan Rogov andAleksandr Nikolayev are now being preserved;Mitrofan Moskalenko auctioned off for scrapping in 2012.[5] |  |
| United States | Ashland | 8 | 1943–1969 | 139.5 m (458 ft) | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) | 4.83 m (15.8 ft) | 7,930 | Ex-USSGunston Hall (LSD-5) sold to Argentina; Ex-USSWhite Marsh (LSD-8) sold to Taiwan; rest scrapped from 1968 to 1970. | _underway_in_Hampton_Roads_1965.jpg) |
| Casa Grande | 13 | 1944–1970 | 139.5 m (458 ft) | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) | 4.83 m (15.8 ft) | 7,930 | Last ship ex-USSShadwell (LSD-15) scrapped in 2017. | | |
| Thomaston | 8 | 1954–1990 | 160 m (520 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 5.94 m (19.5 ft) | 11,989 | Ex-USSAlamo (LSD-33) loaned to Brazilian Navy; ex-USSHermitage (LSD-34) loaned and later sold to Brazilian Navy; all other scrapped or sunk as target |  | |
| Anchorage | 5 | 1969–2003 | 169 m (554 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 6.1 m (20 ft) | 14,225 | Ex-USSPensacola (LSD-38) sold to Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy and only active ship with all others scrapped or sunk as target. | | |
| Whidbey Island | 2 | 1985–present | 186 m (610 ft) | 26.0 m (85.3 ft) | 6.1 m (20 ft) | 16,100 | Whidbey Island andFort McHenry in inactive reserve | _makes_a_wide_turn_prior_to_conducting_helicopter_operations_off_the_coast_of_the_island_of_Sumatra%2c_Indonesia.jpg) |
