An amphibious transport dock, also called a landing platform/dock (LPD), is an amphibious warfare ship

Amphibious warfare ship

Amphibious warfare ship, often shortened to amphibs or phibs and popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault...

, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare

Expeditionary warfare

Expeditionary warfare is used to describe the organization of a state's military to fight abroad, especially when deployed to fight away from its established bases at home or abroad. Expeditionary forces were in part the antecedent of the modern concept of Rapid Deployment Forces...

 missions. Several navies currently operate this kind of ship. The ships are generally designed to transport troops into a war zone by sea, primarily using landing craft, although invariably they also have the capability to operate transport helicopters.

Amphibious transport docks perform the mission of amphibious transports

Amphibious vehicle

An amphibious vehicle , is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water – just like an amphibian....

, amphibious cargo ship

Amphibious cargo ship

Amphibious cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. A total of 108 of these ships were built between 1943 and 1945—which worked out to an...

s, and the older LPDs by incorporating both a flight deck and a well deck

Well deck

A well deck or well dock is a hangar-like deck located at the waterline in the stern of some amphibious warfare ships. By taking on water the ship can lower its stern, flooding the well deck and allowing boats and amphibious landing craft to dock within the ship. This facilitates moving cargo...

 that can be ballasted

Ballast tank

A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water.-History:The basic concept behind the ballast tank can be seen in many forms of aquatic life, such as the blowfish or argonaut octopus, and the concept has been invented and reinvented many times by...

 and deballasted to support landing craft or amphibious vehicle

Amphibious vehicle

An amphibious vehicle , is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water – just like an amphibian....

s.

LPD Classes

In Service

• Type-071 (Yuzhao) class
  Type 071 amphibious transport dock
  The Type 071 are amphibious warfare ships of the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy. They are built by the Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, and the first entered service in late-2007.-Design:...
  
  

• Foudre class
  Foudre class landing platform dock
  The Foudre type vessels are landing platforms of the French Navy.They carry large stowage areas which can be used to ferry battle tanks and vehicles, a 52-ton elevating platform, a lateral ramp and a flight deck able to simultaneously operate several helicopters.Three rotations of such ships can...
  
  

• INS Jalashva (ex USS Trenton
  USS Trenton (LPD-14)
  USS Trenton , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the capital of New Jersey.-Building process:...
  
  )

• Tanjung Dalpele class
  KRI Tanjung Dalpele
  The KRI Tanjung Dalpele is an Indonesian warship of the Tanjung Dalpele class. The contract for the USD $35 million ship was signed with Daewoo International in September 2003. The ship is a Landing Platform Dock designed and built by Daesun Shipbuilding and Eng.Co.Ltd Pusan...
  
  
• Makassar class

• San Giorgio class
  San Giorgio class amphibious transport dock
  Three San Giorgio class amphibious transport dock were built by Fincantieri for the Marina Militare Italiana. These ships can lift a battalion of troops, and up to 36 armoured vehicles. The stern floodable dock can accommodate three landing craft and the flight deck has three landing spots. San...
  
  

• Ōsumi class
  Osumi class LST
  The Ōsumi class LST , is a Japanese amphibious transport dock. While the JMSDF describes the Ōsumi class as tank landing ships, they lack the bow doors and beaching capability traditionally associated with LSTs...
  
  

• Rotterdam class

• Endurance class
  Endurance class landing platform dock ship
  The Endurance class landing platform dock ships are the largest class of ships in the Republic of Singapore Navy . They were designed and built locally by Singapore Technologies Marine to replace the old County class tank landing ships...
  
  

• Galicia class
  Galicia class landing platform dock
  The Galicia class is a class of two 13,900 t landing platform dock ships, belonging to the Spanish Navy. Built in Ferrol, their mission is to carry amphibious warfare by transporting the bulk of the Infantería de Marina....
  
  

• Albion class
  Albion class landing platform dock
  The Albion class is a class of landing platform dock, and are the newest amphibious assault vessels in the Royal Navy fleet. The class consists of two vessels, and and they were ordered in 1996 under a programme known as LPD to replace the aging Fearless class...
  
  
• Bay class (Based on the design of the Spanish Galicia class
  Galicia class landing platform dock
  The Galicia class is a class of two 13,900 t landing platform dock ships, belonging to the Spanish Navy. Built in Ferrol, their mission is to carry amphibious warfare by transporting the bulk of the Infantería de Marina....
  
   and Dutch Rotterdam class)

• San Antonio class
  San Antonio class amphibious transport dock
  The San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock in the beginning of the 21st century...
  
  
• Cleveland class
• Austin class
  Austin class amphibious transport dock
  The Austin class of amphibious transport dock followed theRaleigh class and was followed by the San Antonio classes. Note that some sources consider Cleveland and Trenton ships to be a part of the Austin class, but the Naval Vessel Registry lists them as a separate class.- Ships :-Cleveland...
  
  

Decommissioned

• • Ouragan class
    Ouragan class landing platform dock
    The Ouragan was a class of French landing platform docks operated by the French Navy. They were called Transport de chalands de débarquement .-Overview:The ships in this class were used for:...
    
    

• • Fearless class
    Fearless class landing platform dock
    The Fearless class amphibious assault ships were the first purpose built amphibious warfare vessels in the Royal Navy. The class comprised only two ships: and ....
    
    

• • Raleigh class
    Raleigh class amphibious transport dock
    The Raleigh class of amphibious transport docks served the United States Navy.- Ships :...
    
    

See also

• Amphibious warfare ship
  Amphibious warfare ship
  Amphibious warfare ship, often shortened to amphibs or phibs and popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault...
  
  
• Dock landing ship
  Dock landing ship
  A Dock landing ship or Landing ship is a form of amphibious warship designed to support amphibious operations. These amphibious assault ships transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel...
  
  
• Landing Platform, Helicopter
  Landing Platform, Helicopter
  LPH is the hull classification used by a number of the world's navies to designate a type of amphibious warfare ship designed primarily to operate as a launch and recovery platform for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft...
  
  
• List of amphibious warfare ships