Amphib classification

C

Chris74

New Member
Hi,

I'm new to the world of navies and ships, so I have a relatively simple (I think) question.

What are the differences between types of amphibs. LST, LPH, LPD, LSD, LSL, LKA, etc??

Here's what I think the differences are:

LST; carries vehicles only (no cargo or extra troops), lands those vehicles by beaching the LST itself

LSD; carries troops and (heavy) vehicles, lands those vehicles by landing craft only (LCU/LCAC). No helos onboard (no hangar), just a landing pad. Single role ship.

LPD; multi role version of LSD, carries helos, has a hangar, carries fewer landing craft. Carries the Amtracs.

LPH; carries only light equipment, troops and light vehicles, only things that can be carried by helos. SIngle role ship.

LHD/LHA; combines function of LPH and LSD.

LKA; cargo ship??? :confused:

LSL; comparable to LKA? :confused:

Any more differences between LSD and LPD, how are they to be used tactically? LKA? LSL?

I hope someone can help. Thanks

Best,

Chris74
 
Tasman

Tasman

Ship Watcher
Verified Defense Pro
Chris74 said:
Hi,

I'm new to the world of navies and ships, so I have a relatively simple (I think) question.

What are the differences between types of amphibs. LST, LPH, LPD, LSD, LSL, LKA, etc??

Here's what I think the differences are:

LST; carries vehicles only (no cargo or extra troops), lands those vehicles by beaching the LST itself

LSD; carries troops and (heavy) vehicles, lands those vehicles by landing craft only (LCU/LCAC). No helos onboard (no hangar), just a landing pad. Single role ship.

LPD; multi role version of LSD, carries helos, has a hangar, carries fewer landing craft. Carries the Amtracs.

LPH; carries only light equipment, troops and light vehicles, only things that can be carried by helos. SIngle role ship.

LHD/LHA; combines function of LPH and LSD.

LKA; cargo ship??? :confused:

LSL; comparable to LKA? :confused:

Any more differences between LSD and LPD, how are they to be used tactically? LKA? LSL?

I hope someone can help. Thanks

Best,

Chris74
Click to expand...
Classifications vary from navy to navy and even within the USN there are inconsistencies.

In the USN for example:

The D stands for dock so the LSD, LPD and LHD all have docking wells for their landing craft. There is some confusion with the LHA which also has a docking well (Tarawas). The LHD is described as multi purpose and the LHA as general purpose. What is the difference?

H stands for helicopter so LHD denotes an amphibious ship with helos and a dock.

Designations used by other navies are often different. For example, LSL as used by the RN for the Sir Bedivere stands for Landing Ship Logistics and combines features of an LST and an LKA. However, a similar design in the RAN (Tobruck) is designated as LSH where the H stands for heavy rather than helo!

So it is very confusing! :confused:

Re the LPD and LSD, the LPD was designed as a multi purpose ship. It carried a balance of troops, vehicles, equipment and landing craft. It could serve independently but would normally be part of an amphibious task force that would include an LPH to provide helos (as well as troops), LSDs to provide additional landing craft as well as vehicles and heavy equipment, LSTs to carry and land heavy equipment directly over the beach if necessary and an LKA to carry general cargo to be landed using helos and landing craft mostly from other vessels. The LPD, LSD and LST could all land helos, usually from the LPH and the LPDs also had some capability to support and operate their own helos.

The LHA and LHD combined the functions of the LPH and LPD in one ship.

Cheers
 
Last edited:
C

Chris74

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
LHD really multi role?

I was thinking about the usefulness of the LHD. The combination of a helo deck and a well deck has one disadvantage as I see it.

Modern USMC doctrine states that transit time has to be one hour max (to avoid fatigue), combined with a new stand off doctrine. So ships carrying Amtracs can only stand off a few miles as amtracs are slow, ships carrying LCACs can stand off 50 miles or so, wheras helo carriers can stand off several hundreds of miles (even more when V22s are used).

But when a helo carrier (LHD/LHA) is several hundred miles away, it cannot use its landing craft as they can't possibly reach the beach within an hour. So in this particular situation the well deck is useless and just takes up valuable space.
Moving the LHD closer (to 50 nm) means giving up (not using) the advantage of maximum stand off range given by its helos.

Does anybody know how the USMC/USN deals, tactically, with this apparent dilemma?

Best,

Chris74
 
G

Galrahn

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Chris74 said:
Does anybody know how the USMC/USN deals, tactically, with this apparent dilemma?
Click to expand...
Some light reading if you are truly interested in getting a feel for the theory behind everything.

It is an older, interesting case study by LtCol Michael F. Morris (who was a major at the time), who now serves as Associate Dean of Warfighting at the Command and Staff College.

I think you'll find what you are looking for in the document, as will anyone looking to see the enormous train that is a USMC MEU or MEB assault.
 
J

jeffreysmidt

New Member
To make since of the coding, you have to know the history.

When the US Navy first came out with hull designations, amphibs didnt exist.
The first vessels used as amphibs were cargo vessels and transports, which were classified as Auxiliary Vessels (A Code), thus Cargo Ship (AK - Auxilliary Ship - Cargo (C was taken for Collier) and Transport (AP - Auxiliary Ship - Personnel)

During WW2, some AK and AP's were armed and modified to be more effective for combat amphibious operations and were designated AKA (Auxiliary Cargo Attack) and APA (Auxiliary Personnel Transport Attack)

There was also AGC (Auxiliary Command Ships) APD (Auxiliary Personnel Transport - Destroyer (converted destroyers) ect.

Then there was landing craft, such as LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel) LCM (Landing Craft Medium) LCT (Landing Craft Tank)

The naval architects designed some larger ships (craft being small enough to lift from the water, ships are not) designed to beach to discharge cargo such as LST (Landing Ship Tank) and LSI (Landing Ship Infantry) as well as a whole alphabet of various mission vessels. LSD's were designated Landing Ship Docks, but probably should have been classified as AKD for Auxiliary Cargo Docking Ship.

Post WW2, the US navy converged all amphibious force vessels under the new L Code of Landing or Amphibious, recognizing them as combatants rather then auxiliary vessels.

AKA's become LKA's. From Auxiliary Cargo Attack to Amphibious Cargo Attack.
APA's became LPA's
LST remainedLST's, LSD's as LSD's.
LCT design was improved to become LCU for Landing Craft Utility.

Then Helo's became a central amphibious attack option, and vessels were designed and modified to support air insertion of troops, leading to the LPH (Amphibous Personnel Transport - Helo). The LSD design, which was optimized for heavy equipment transport, with around 300 troop, was expanded and modified to better support troop leading to the LPD (Amphibious Personnel Transport Docking) which held less heavy equipment and up to 750 troops.

LHA (Amphibious Assault Ship) was a deviation from the normal naming, and LHD which is basically an improved LHA corrected the deviation.
 
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