Whidbey Island class dock landing ship
Encyclopedia
The Whidbey Island class dock landing ship is a dock landing ship
of the United States Navy
. Introduced to fleet service in 1985, this class of ship features a massive well deck
for the transport of four LCAC
hovercraft for landing Marines
.
All ships of the class are scheduled to undergo a midlife upgrade over the next five years to ensure they remain in service through 2038. The ships will be upgraded each year through 2013, and the last ship will be modernized in 2014. Ships homeported on the East Coast will undergo upgrades at Metro Machine Corp., and ships based on the West Coast will receive upgrades at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
in San Diego.
Major elements of the upgrade package include diesel engine improvements, fuel and maintenance savings systems, engineering control systems, increased air conditioning and chill water capacity, and replacement of air compressors. The ships also replaced steam systems with all-electric functionality that will decrease maintenance effort and expense.
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...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Introduced to fleet service in 1985, this class of ship features a massive 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...
for the transport of four LCAC
LCAC
The Landing Craft Air Cushion is a class of air-cushion vehicle used as landing craft by the United States Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force...
hovercraft for landing Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
All ships of the class are scheduled to undergo a midlife upgrade over the next five years to ensure they remain in service through 2038. The ships will be upgraded each year through 2013, and the last ship will be modernized in 2014. Ships homeported on the East Coast will undergo upgrades at Metro Machine Corp., and ships based on the West Coast will receive upgrades at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, commonly referred to as NASSCO, is a shipyard in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia and a division of General Dynamics. The shipyard specializes in constructing commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the US Navy and Military Sealift...
in San Diego.
Major elements of the upgrade package include diesel engine improvements, fuel and maintenance savings systems, engineering control systems, increased air conditioning and chill water capacity, and replacement of air compressors. The ships also replaced steam systems with all-electric functionality that will decrease maintenance effort and expense.
Ships
| Ship | Hull No. | Builder | Commissioned | Home Port | NVR Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whidbey Island USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) USS Whidbey Island is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was named for Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound, Washington, the location of NAS Whidbey Island; the name ultimately derives from the sailor, explorer and engineer Joseph Whidbey.Whidbey Island was laid... |
LSD-41 | Lockheed, Seattle Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company , was a shipyard in Seattle, Washington on Harbor Island at the mouth of the Duwamish River. Founded in 1898 as the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company, the company that built Harbor Island, it was purchased by Lockheed in 1959... |
1985 | Little Creek, Virginia Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals... |
LSD41 |
| Germantown USS Germantown (LSD-42) USS Germantown is the second Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship in the United States Navy. She is the second Navy ship named after the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown.... |
LSD-42 | Lockheed, Seattle | 1986 | San Diego, California San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... |
LSD42 |
| Fort McHenry USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was named for Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, the 1814 defense of which inspired The Star-Spangled Banner.... |
LSD-43 | Lockheed, Seattle | 1987 | Little Creek, Virginia | LSD43 |
| Gunston Hall USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) USS Gunston Hall is a of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Gunston Hall, the Mason Neck, Virginia estate of George Mason, one of Virginia's outstanding Revolutionary figures, and "Father of the Bill of Rights".... |
LSD-44 | Avondale, New Orleans | 1989 | Little Creek, Virginia | LSD44 |
| Comstock USS Comstock (LSD-45) USS Comstock is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to be named for the Comstock Lode in Nevada... |
LSD-45 | Avondale, New Orleans | 1990 | San Diego, California | LSD45 |
| Tortuga USS Tortuga (LSD-46) USS Tortuga is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to be named for the Dry Tortugas, a group of desert coral islets west of Key West, Florida.... |
LSD-46 | Avondale, New Orleans | 1990 | Sasebo, Japan | LSD46 |
| Rushmore USS Rushmore (LSD-47) USS Rushmore is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to be named for the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota.... |
LSD-47 | Avondale, New Orleans | 1991 | San Diego, California | LSD47 |
| Ashland USS Ashland (LSD-48) USS Ashland is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the secondNavy ship to be named for Ashland, the home of Henry Clay, in Lexington, Kentucky.Ashland was laid down on 4 April 1988,... |
LSD-48 | Avondale, New Orleans | 1992 | Little Creek, Virginia | LSD48 |
Sources
- US Navy Type Information
- Hutchinson, R. (ed.) (2002) Jane's Warship Recognition Guide, London : HarperCollins, ISBN 0-00-713722-2