USSBristol County
History
United States
Name	Bristol County
Ordered	15 July 1966
Builder	National Steel and Shipbuilding Company,San Diego, California
Laid down	13 February 1971
Launched	4 December 1971
Acquired	27 July 1972
Commissioned	5 August 1972
Decommissioned	29 July 1994
Stricken	29 July 1994
Identification	LST-1198
Fate	Sold toMorocco, 16 August 1994
Morocco
Name	Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah
Acquired	16 August 1994
Identification	407
Status	In service
General characteristics as built
Class and type	Newport-classtank 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 Alcodiesel 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 max
Complement	213
Sensors and processing systems	2 × Mk 63 GCFS SPS-10radar
Armament	2 × twin3"/50 caliber guns
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck

USSBristol County (LST-1198) was the last of the twentyNewport-classtank landing ships of theUnited States Navy (USN) which replaced the traditionalbow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The LST was constructed byNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company ofSan Diego,California.Bristol County waslaunched in 1971 andcommissioned into the USN in 1972.Bristol County was assigned to theUnited States Pacific Fleet and remained in service until 1994 when it wasdecommissioned. Sold to Morocco that year, the vessel was recommissioned into theRoyal Moroccan Navy asSidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah. The ship remains in service.

Bristol 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.Bristol 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]

Bristol 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]

Bristol 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 final 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 13 February 1971 atSan Diego,California, by theNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company.Bristol County waslaunched on 4 December 1971 andcommissioned on 5 August 1972.Bristol County was assigned to the Amphibious Force,Pacific Fleet, with the home port ofLong Beach, California. The tank landing ship alternated between training operations off the west coast of the United States with deployments to the western Pacific, maintaining this cycle into 1980.^[10]

Bristol County wasdecommissioned and struck from theNaval Vessel Register on 29 July 1994.^[9]

The ship was purchased by theRoyal Moroccan Navy on 16 August 1994 through theSecurity Assistance Program to replace the troop transportArrafiq. The LST was renamedSidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah (407). The ship commemorates the 18th century sultan of MoroccoMohammed ben Abdallah. By late 1995,Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah was considered non-operational but was later returned to service. The vessel was based atCasablanca, Morocco.^[11]

• 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.
• "Bristol County (LST-1198)".Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.Navy Department,Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved17 February 2020.
• 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.
•  This article includes information collected from theNaval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in thepublic domain. The entry can be foundhere.
• 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.

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• Newport-class tank landing ships
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• Amphibious warfare vessels of the Royal Moroccan Navy
• Amphibious warfare vessels of Morocco

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