Description
Amphibious transports are warships that embark, transport, and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions.

Features
The amphibious transports are used to transport, and land Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked air cushion or conventional landing craft or amphibious vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical take off and landing aircraft in amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions.

Background
The versatile Austin-class LPDs provide substantial amphibious lift for Marine troops and their vehicles and cargo. Additionally, they serve as the secondary aviation platform for Expeditionary Strike Groups. The oldest of the class turned 39 in early 2004. As the new San Antonio-class LPDs enter service, Austin-class LPDs will be decommissioned.

A contract for final design and construction of San Antonio (LPD 17), the lead ship in the class, was awarded in December 1996; actual construction commenced in August 2000. The lead ship contract included options for New Orleans (LPD 18), Mesa Verde (LPD 19) and Green Bay (LPD 20). The options for LPD 18 and 19 were exercised in December 1998 and February 2000. A negotiated modification added LPD 20 in May 2000. In November 2003, the Navy awarded the contract to build New York (LPD 21). The bow stem of New York was cast in 2003 using tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center and the keel was laid in September 2004.

In 2004, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems launched New Orleans and Mesa Verde and laid the keel for New York. Also the Secretary of the Navy named San Diego (LPD 22), Anchorage (LPD 23), Arlington (LPD 24) and Somerset (LPD 25). New York, Arlington and Somerset honor those who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In 2005 the Navy expects to start construction of San Diego (LPD 22), expects to launch Green Bay (LPD 20), and will commission San Antonio (LPD 17), first ship of the class.

The ships of the LPD 17 class are a key element of the Navy?s seabase transformation. Collectively, these ships functionally replace over 41 ships (LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113, and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships) providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, seabased platforms that are networked, survivable, and built to operate with 21st century transformational platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), and future means by which Marines are delivered ashore.

General Characteristics, San Antonio class

Builder: Northrop Grumman Ships Systems, with Raytheon Systems Corporation and Intergraph Corporation.
Propulsion: Four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick Diesels, two shafts, 41,600 shaft horsepower.
Length: 684 feet (208.5 meters).
Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 24,900 long tons (25,300 metric tons) full load.
Speed: In excess of 22 knots (24.2 mph, 38.7 kph).
Crew: Ship's Company: 360 (28 officers, 332 enlisted)
Embarked Landing Force: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge capacity to 800.
Armament: Two Bushmaster II 30 mm Close in Guns, fore and aft; two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, fore and aft.
Aircraft: Launch or land two CH53E Super Stallion helicopters or two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft or up to four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, AH-1 or UH-1 helicopters.
Landing/Attack Craft: Two LCACs or one LCU; and 14 Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles.
Ships:
San Antonio (LPD 17)
New Orleans (LPD 18)
Mesa Verde (LPD 19)
Green Bay (LPD 20)
New York (LPD 21)
San Diego (LPD 22)
Anchorage (LPD 23)
Arlington (LPD 24)
Somerset (LPD 25)

General Characteristics, Austin class

Builder: LPD 4-6, New York Naval Shipyard
LPD 7 and LPD 8, Ingalls Shipbuilding
LPD 9, 10, 12-15, Lockheed Shipbuilding.
Date Deployed: Feb. 6, 1965 (USS Austin)
Unit Cost: $235-419 million.
Propulsion: Two boilers, two steam turbines, two shafts, 24,000 shaft horsepower.
Length: 570 feet (171 meters).
Beam: 84 feet (25.2 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 17,000 tons (17,272.82 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 21 knots (24.2 mph, 38.7 kph).
Crew: Ship's Company: 420 (24 officers, 396 enlisted)
Marine Detachment: 900.
Armament: Two 25mm Mk 38 guns; two Phalanx CIWS; and eight .50-calibre machine guns.
Aircraft: Up to six CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters.
Ships:
USS Austin (LPD 4), Norfolk, VA
USS Ogden (LPD 5), San Diego, CA
USS Duluth (LPD 6), San Diego, CA
USS Cleveland (LPD 7), San Diego, CA
USS Dubuque (LPD 8), San Diego, CA
USS Denver (LPD 9), San Diego, CA
USS Juneau (LPD 10), Sasebo, Japan
USS Shreveport (LPD 12), Norfolk, VA
USS Nashville (LPD 13), Norfolk, VA
USS Trenton (LPD 14), Norfolk, VA
USS Ponce (LPD 15), Norfolk, VA