NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Schenectady 1988

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
LST1179	Newport		Philadelphia N Yd	1.11.1966	3.2.1968	7.6.1969	to Mexico 5.2001 (Sonora)
LST1180	Manitowoc		Philadelphia N Yd	27.2.1967	4.1.1969	24.1.1970	to Taiwan 7.1996 (中和 [Chung Ho])
LST1181	Sumter		Philadelphia N Yd	14.11.1967	13.12.1969	20.6.1970	to Taiwan 9.1993 (中平 [Chung Ping])
LST1182	Fresno	361	National Steel, San Diego	16.12.1967	28.9.1968	22.11.1969	stricken 12.2008
LST1183	Peoria	362	National Steel, San Diego	24.2.1968	23.11.1968	21.2.1970	stricken 11.2002
LST1184	Frederick	363	National Steel, San Diego	13.4.1968	8.3.1969	11.4.1970	stricken 11.2002, to Mexico (Usumacinta)
LST1185	Schenectady	364	National Steel, San Diego	2.8.1968	24.5.1969	13.6.1970	stricken 7.2001
LST1186	Cayuga	365	National Steel, San Diego	28.9.1968	12.7.1969	8.8.1970	to Brazil 11.1996 (Mattoso Maia)
LST1187	Tuscaloosa	366	National Steel, San Diego	23.11.1968	6.9.1969	24.10.1970	stricken 12.2008
LST1188	Saginaw	367	National Steel, San Diego	24.5.1969	7.2.1970	23.1.1971	stricken 8.1994, to Australia (Kanimbla)
LST1189	San Bernardino	368	National Steel, San Diego	12.7.1969	28.3.1970	27.3.1971	to Chile 6.1999 (Valdivia)
LST1190	Boulder	369	National Steel, San Diego	6.9.1969	22.4.1970	4.6.1971	stricken 12.2008
LST1191	Racine	370	National Steel, San Diego	13.12.1969	15.8.1970	9.7.1971	stricken 12.2009
LST1192	Spartanburg County	371	National Steel, San Diego	7.2.1970	7.11.1970	1.9.1971	stricken 12.1994, to Malaysia (Sri Inderapura)
LST1193	Fairfax County	372	National Steel, San Diego	28.3.1970	19.12.1970	16.10.1971	stricken 8.1994, to Australia (Manoora)
LST1194	La Moure County	373	National Steel, San Diego	22.5.1970	13.2.1971	18.12.1971	damaged 12.9.2000, never repaired
LST1195	Barbour County	374	National Steel, San Diego	7.11.1970	15.5.1971	12.2.1972	stricken 7.2001
LST1196	Harlan County	375	National Steel, San Diego	7.11.1970	27.7.1971	8.4.1972	to Spain 4.1995 (Pizarro)
LST1197	Barnstable County	376	National Steel, San Diego	19.12.1970	2.10.1971	27.5.1972	to Spain 8.1994 (Hernán Cortés)
LST1198	Bristol County	377	National Steel, San Diego	13.2.1971	4.12.1971	5.8.1972	stricken 7.1994, to Morocco (سيدي محمد بن عبدالله [Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah])

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement full, t	8342
Length, m	159.2 oa over hull, 171.3 oa over derrick arms
Breadth, m	21.2
Draught, m	5.30
No of shafts	2
Machinery	LST1179-1181: 6 General Motors 16-645-E5 diesels LST1182-1198: 6 Alco 16-251 diesels
Power, h. p.	16500
Max speed, kts	20
Fuel, t	diesel oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	14250(14)
Armament	2 x 2 - 76/50 Mk 33, helicopter deck
Military load	29 tanks or 2000 t of cargo, 385 troops, 3 LCVP, 1 LCP
Electronic equipment	LN-66, SPS-10F, 2x Mk 34 radars
Complement	218

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

With these ships the Amphibious Force finally attained its goal of 20kt performance throughout. The many failures to design a fast LCT showed primarily that radical measures were required; in these ships there is a normal ship-shaped bow, but the upper portion splits and a long causeway was lowered through a gallows above; the bow ramp was 31.4m long. There was also a stern ramp which permitted unloading of LVTs into the water or into a landing craft or on to a pier. Above it was a helicopter deck; there was no hangar. Capacity was 385 troops, 29 tanks or 23 AAV-7A1 on lower deck and 29 2.5-ton trucks on upper deck and 500 tons of cargo; vehicles can be driven down to the lower deck via a ramp, or through the superstructure on to the helicopter deck aft. A 9m turntable at each end of the tank deck permits vehicles to turn round without having to reverse. There were davits for up to four LCVP. Four pontoon causeway sections can be carried on the hull sides.

The size and speed of the Newport class programme suggested the urgency of new amphibious construction in the late 1960s; one analyst has suggested that amphibious craft were one programme that Secretary of Defense McNamara's men strongly supported, as an essential element of the US force protection capability. Thus the prototype was ordered in FY65, followed by eight in FY66, and then by eleven in FY67.

With the advent of the LHAs, with their large well decks and vast cargo spaces, the rationale of the LSTs came into question, and as this was written the Newports were perhaps the least valuable of the specialized amphibious ships. They may well become obsolescent as amphibious doctrine shifts to distant assault with air-cushion vehicles (LCAC), which can be launched from beyond the horizon, and whose range and speed add considerably to the element of surprise in an amphibious assault.

Modernizations

1977-1978, all: - 2x Mk 34 radars

early 1990s, all except Schenectady: - 2 x 2 - 76/50, LN-66 radar; + SPS-64(v)9 radar

late 1980s, Newport, Manitowoc, Sumter, Spartanburg County, La Moure County; early 1990s, Fresno, Peoria, Cayuga, Tuscaloosa, Saginaw, San Bernandino, Fairfax County, Harlan County, Barnstable County, Bristol County, late 1990s, Frederick, Schenectady, Boulder, Racine, Barbour County: + 1 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, Mk 90 radar

Naval service

No significant events.