_stbd_bow_view.jpg) USSFairfax County | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Fairfax County |
| Namesake | Fairfax County, Virginia |
| Ordered | 15 July 1966 |
| Builder | National Steel and Shipbuilding Company,San Diego, California |
| Laid down | 28 March 1970 |
| Launched | 19 December 1970 |
| Commissioned | 16 October 1971 |
| Decommissioned | 17 August 1994 |
| Stricken | 17 August 1994 |
| Identification | LST-1193 |
| Fate | Sold toRoyal Australian Navy asHMAS Manoora |
 Australia | |
| Name | HMASManoora |
| Acquired | 27 September 1994 |
| Commissioned | 25 November 1994 |
| Decommissioned | 27 May 2011 |
| Identification | L 52 |
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class & type | Newport-classtank landing ship |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m) |
| Draft | 17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max |
| Propulsion |
|
| 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 max |
| Complement | 213 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament | 2 × twin3"/50 caliber guns |
| Aviation facilities | Helicopter deck |
USSFairfax County (LST-1193) was the fifteenth of twentyNewport-classtank landing ships of theUnited States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditionalbow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). Named after acounty inVirginia, the ship was constructed byNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company ofSan Diego,California. The LST waslaunched in 1970 and wascommissioned into the USN in 1971.Fairfax County was alternated deployments between theCaribbean Sea and theMediterranean Sea. During theGulf War,Fairfax County was deployed off the northern African coast as part of a deterrent force. The ship wasdecommissioned from the USN in 1994.
The LST was sold to Australia and commissioned into theRoyal Australian Navy asHMAS Manoora (L 52) in 1994. The ship underwent a significant refit, altering the vessel's ability to land ships over its bow. The ship remained in service until 2011, when it was decommissioned.Manoora was towed back to the United States andbroken up for scrap in 2013.
Fairfax County was aNewport-classtank landing ship which were designed to meet the goal put forward by the United Statesamphibious forces to have a tank landing ship (LST) capable of over 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). However, the traditionalbow door form for LSTs would not be capable. 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.[1][2][3]
The LST had adisplacement of 4,793 long tons (4,870 t) when light and 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) at full load.Fairfax County was 522 feet 4 inches (159.2 m)long overall and 562 ft (171.3 m) over thederrick arms which protruded past the bow.[2][3] The vessel 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.[4]
Fairfax County was fitted with sixAlco 16-645-ESdiesel engines turning twoshafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at 16,500brake horsepower (12,300 kW) and gave the ship 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 LST carried 1,750 long tons (1,780 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 ship was also equipped with abow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles.[3][5]
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.[6] 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.[1][2] TheNewport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (510 t) of vehicles, 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m2) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops.[1][7] The vessels also havedavits for fourvehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull.[2][3]
Fairfax County was initially armed with four Mark 333-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twinturrets. The vessel was equipped with two Mk 63gun control fire systems (GCFS) for the 3-inch guns, but these were removed in 1977–1978.[3] The ship also had SPS-10 surface searchradar.[8] Atop the stern gate, the vessels mounted ahelicopter deck. They had a maximum complement of 213 including 11 officers.[6]
The LST was ordered as the sixth hull of the third group of theNewport class inFiscal Year 1967 and a contract was awarded on 15 July 1966.[6][9] The ship waslaid down on 28 March 1970 atSan Diego,California, by theNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company.Fairfax County was named for acounty of that name inVirginia andlaunched on 19 December 1970,sponsored by the wife of James W. O'Grady. The vessel wascommissioned on 16 October 1971 and assigned to Amphibious Force,Atlantic Fleet.[10]
Fairfax County departed San Diego for the ship's new home port,Little Creek, Virginia via thePanama Canal. Into 1980, the tank landing ship alternated amphibious training operations along the east coast of the United States and in theCaribbean Sea with regular, extended deployments to theMediterranean Sea.[10] During theGulf War,Fairfax County was one of three ships that comprised Marine Amphibious Ready Group 3-90 (MARG 3-90). MARG 3-90 was kept in the Mediterranean as a show of force to possible belligerent African nations while the United States was occupied in thePersian Gulf. MARG 3-90 departedCamp Lejeune,North Carolina on 7 August 1990 with aUnited States Marine Corps detachment and returned to Little Creek on 5 March 1991.[11]Fairfax County wasdecommissioned and struck from theNaval Vessel Register on 17 August 1994.[9]Fairfax County's bell is on display at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax, Virginia.
The LST was sold to theRoyal Australian Navy as part of theSecurity Assistance Program on 27 September 1994.[9] The ship was recommissioned as HMASManoora (L 52) on 25 November 1994 atSydney, Australia.[12]Manoora underwent conversion in May 1995 atForgacs Shipbuilding,Newcastle,New South Wales. The LST was significantly modified by removing its 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 were carried when the third landing spot was not in use, and were handled by a 70-ton crane. Improved medical facilities were also constructed. Ahangar was installed aft, allowing for the stowage of fourSeahawk helicopters.[13][14]Manoora was based at Sydney.[14]Manoora was taken out of service on 27 May 2011 and replaced byHMAS Choules and theCanberra-class landing helicopter docks.[12][15]Manoora was towed back to the United States in October 2013 and arrived inNew Orleans,Louisiana, forscrapping by Southern Scrap Recycling.[12]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromFairfax County (LST-1193) at theNaval Vessel Register.
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