NAVYPEDIA

Photo

New Orleans 1973

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
LPH2	Iwo Jima		Puget Sound N Yd, Bremerton	2.4.1959	17.9.1960	26.8.1961	stricken 9.1993
LPH3	Okinawa		Philadelphia N Yd	1.4.1960	19.8.1961	14.4.1962	stricken 12.1992
LPH7	Guadalcanal		Philadelphia N Yd	1.9.1961	16.3.1963	20.7.1963	stricken 8.1994
LPH9	Guam		Philadelphia N Yd	15.11.1962	22.8.1964	16.1.1965	stricken 8.1998
LPH10	Tripoli	1105	Ingalls, Pascagoula	15.6.1964	31.7.1965	6.8.1966	stricken 9.1995
LPH11	New Orleans		Philadelphia N Yd	1.3.1966	3.2.1968	16.11.1968	stricken 10.1998
LPH12, 3.1995- MCS12	Inchon	1156	Ingalls, Pascagoula	8.4.1968	24.5.1969	20.6.1970	mine countermeasures support ship 3.1995, stricken 5.2004

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	10717
Displacement full, t	18004
Length, m	169.5 wl 183.6 oa
Breadth, m	25.7
Draught, m	8.00
No of shafts	1
Machinery	LPH2, 3, 7, 11: 1 set Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 2 Combustion Engineering boilers LPH9: 1 set Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers LPH10: 1 set De Laval geared steam turbines, 2 Combustion Engineering boilers LPH12: 1 set General Electric geared steam turbines, 2 Combustion Engineering boilers
Power, h. p.	22000
Max speed, kts	23.5
Fuel, t	oil
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	4 x 2 - 76/50 Mk 33, 19 CH-46 or 11 CH-53 helicopters (standard 24 CH-46, 4 CH-53, 4 UH-1)
Military load	LPH2, 3, 7, 9-11: 2057 troops LPH12: 2057 troops, 2 LCVP
Electronic equipment	LN-66, SPS-10, SPS-40, SPN-10, 2x Mk 34 radars, WLR-1 ECM suite
Complement	667

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These ships were the culmination of a long Marine Corps development of vertical envelopment, or helicopter assault. The basic motivation was fear of nuclear bombardment of concentrations of landing craft off relatively restricted beaches; helicopters could approach from greater distances, preserving concentration of the assault troops at the beaches while permitting dispersal of assault shipping. Probably the single greatest defect of the LPH was its inability to operate landing craft. Thus it could not attack or support troops on the beach in rough weather, and its helicopters could not move heavy equipment over a beach. The Iwo Jima class helicopter carriers were designed at 1957 after studies of the conversion of alternative hulls, including some of the wartime fast battleships. In fact three Essex class ASW carriers were converted to become austere LPHs with cargo stowed on their former hangar decks. They retained their 127mm batteries for shore bombardments, a capability not matched by the specially-built LPH (but in fact restored in the later LHA). The basic LPH design incorporated provision for conversion to an ASW helicopter carrier, aid in this sense provided a full replacement for the CVS conversions. However, unlike the Essex class CVS, the Iwo Jimas could not operate fixed-wing aircraft, since the design never incorporated either a catapult or arresting gear. Note that, at the time of design, there was no question of retiring the Essex class CVS.

Converted aircraft carriers had not enough space for Marines. The Iwo Jimas solved this problem. Their troop spaces, accommodating 2000 troops, were air conditioned, and there were special vehicle stowage areas and special cargo facilities. Flight decks were 'spotted' to accommodate seven CH-46 or four CH-51 helicopters for take-off; the hangar can accommodate, respectively, 19 and 11 of these helicopters. When helicopters are heavily laden, they benefit from take-off runs, so that effective operation limits the number of helicopter 'spots'.

Modernizations

1970, Okinawa: - 1 x 2 - 76/50; + 1 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (8 RIM-7), Mk 115 radar

1972, Tripoli, Inchon; 1973, Iwo Jima, New Orleans; 1974, Guadalcanal, Guam: - 2 x 2 - 76/50, 2x Mk 34 radars; + 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (8 RIM-7), 2x Mk 115 radars

1973, Okinawa: - 1 x 2 - 76/50, 2x Mk 34 radars; + 1 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (8 RIM-7), Mk 115 radar

1983-1986, all: + 2 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, 2x Mk 90 radars

early 1980s, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, New Orleans; late 1980s, Guadalcanal, Guam, Tripoli, Inchon: - WLR-1 ECM suite; + SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL

early 1980s, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Guadalcanal, Guam, Tripoli, New Orleans: - SPN-10 radar; + SPN-35, SPN-43 radars

early 1980s, Inchon: - SPN-10 radar; + SPN-43 radar

1995, Inchon: - 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM, 2 x 2 - 76/50, 2x Mk 115 radars; + 4 x 1 - 25/75 Mk 38 Bushmaster, can carry 11 MH-53 minesweeping helicopters

Naval service

In 1971 Guam was modified as a prototype Sea Control Ship; she was later refitted as an LPH. Inchon operated minesweeping helicopters in Operation Endsweep, the clearance of the ports of North Vietnam in 1973. Tripoli was mine countermeasures HQ ship during the Gulf conflict; was mined 18.2.1991. Other units also served in the capacity of countermine mothership. Inchon was reclassified as Mine Countermeasures Command and Support Ship in 1995. She was severely damaged by fire 19.10.2001, laid up unrepaired in June 2002 and finally sunk 5.12.2004.