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The
Landing Ship Logistic (
LSL) is a term used by the United Kingdom
armed forcesThe armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
to describe the
Round Table classThe Round Table class is a ship class of Landing Ship Logistics , also known as the "Sir" class, are designed for amphibious warfare missions, in support of the major amphibious ships. They have both bow and stern doors leading onto the main vehicle deck, making them roll-on/roll-off, combined with...
landing shipAn amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
used for support of
amphibious warfareAmphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
missions. These ships are operated by the
Royal Fleet AuxiliaryThe Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
. The last ship in service,
Sir BedivereRFA Sir Bedivere was a Landing Ship Logistic of the Round Table class. She saw service in the Falklands War, the Persian Gulf and Sierra Leone. In 2009 she was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy, and renamed NDCC Almirante Saboia -History:The ship was originally built for army service, and...
, sailed home for the last time on 20 February 2008, and the class has been replaced by the new
Bay classThe Bay class is a ship class of four Dock landing ships built for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary during the 2000s. Based on the Dutch-Spanish Royal Schelde Enforcer design and intended as a replacement for the Round Table class logistics ships, two ships each were ordered from Swan Hunter and...
which are described as landing ship dock (LSD).
The landing ships logistics are often been described as a cross between a roll-on/roll-off vessel and a landing ship.
Their main roles and capabilities are:
- To transport troops vehicles and equipment (often between Marchwood and Antwerp).
- To do this the vessels have doors and ramps at the stern and bow and internal ramps between decks making them truly drive through. They also have a crane forward of the superstructure for on/off loading equipment
- They can carry aircraft on the helicopter pad behind the main superstructure and on the vehicle deck.
- They also have facilities to carry ammunition, repair vehicles and equipment.
- These vessels also have the capability of offloading directly onto a beach. To do this they have a shallow draughts and two large anchors at the stern which they drop at sea before beaching and later use to pull themselves back out to sea. The ships are also capable of carrying Mexeflote
The Mexeflote is a landing raft used by the British Royal Logistic Corps to move goods and vehicles between ship and shore. It was first used by British military in the 1960s, and remains in use at present...
rafts which can support military vehicles.