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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT
FOMALHAUT amphibious cargo ship (1942)


Photo



Fomalhaut 1944

Ships


No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
AK22, 2.1943- AKA5 Fomalhaut (ex-Cape Lookout) 227 Pennsylvania S Yd, Beaumont 1940 25.1.1941 3.1942 underway ammunition replenishment ship AK22 11.1944


Technical data


Displacement standard, t7480
Displacement full, t

14225

Length, m

140.0

Breadth, m

19.2

Draught, m

6.10

No of shafts1
Machinery

1 Nordberg diesel

Power, h. p.4800
Max speed, kts

16

Fuel, t

diesel oil 1235

Endurance, nm(kts) 
Armament

1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 9.15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90

Military load

15 - 16 LCVP, 8 LCM(3), cargo, troops

by 1945: 2 LCM(3), 8 LCVP, 2 LCPL, 4500t of cargo, 174 marines

Complement267


Standard scale images


<i>Fomalhaut </i>1963
Fomalhaut 1963


Graphics


<i>Fomalhaut</i> 1944
Fomalhaut 1944


Project history

USN military transport vessels were sectioned into two groups: АР for transportation of troops and АК for carriage of goods and technics. The majority of them were built on the basis of standard types С2, С3 and С4 and differed from usual cargo ships a little.

For delivery of troops and cargoes directly to a beaching place assault landing transport ships (АРА and АКА) served, which main difference from АК and АР consisted that they were extra equipped with disembarkation craft of LCVP, LCM and LCP (L) types; with their help delivery of people and cargoes to beach also was effected.

Originally similar ships were not outlined in own subclass and were registered as АР and АК. In February, 1943 reorganisation was done and assault transports have received indexation АРА and АКА.

Two ships of Doyen class, projected even on the eve of war for landing operations in Caribbean basin, became the first American assault military transports. The overwhelming majority of remaining АРА and АКА has been converted from merchant cargo and cargo-passenger vessels or constructed in hulls of standard cargo vessels built by the big series in days of war. An exception were specially projected as assault transports Gilliam (АРА) and Artemis (АКА) classes.

Besides the large landing transport ships of АРА and АКА classes, small landing parties and subversive groups were landed by fast landing transports (APD) converted from become outdated Wickes and Clemson classes destroyers and destroyer escorts of Buckley and Rudderow classes.

Fomalhaut was built in standard C1 type hull.

Modernizations

by 1945 ship was presumably armed with 1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

1/1946: 1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20/21, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

Naval service

No significant events.