Amphibious Assault Ships

Latest in Amphibious Assault Ships

More imagery has appeared of China’s new ‘invasion barge,’ which involves a temporary pier that can be connected to other vessels via a barge, or series of barges, with jack-up supports. The development of jack-up barges is widely seen as part of preparations for a possible invasion of Taiwan. On the other hand, they also reflect the growing use of ostensibly non-military maritime assets to support amphibious operations by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Sea

Our Best Look Yet At China’s New ‘Invasion Barges’

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

President Donald Trump, through his pick to be the next Secretary of the Navy, has thrust long-running criticisms of what is commonly called "running rust" on American warships back into the mainstream limelight.
Sea

Warships Caked In Rust Prompting Late Night Trump Texts To Navy Secretary Nominee

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

Airbus and Navantia will explore the integration of the Sirtap drone on the LHD Juan Carlos I. Both companies have signed an agreement on board the Navy's flagship to study the possible use of the RPAS from its deck.
News & Features

Spain Wants To Convert Its Aircraft Carrier For Drone Operations

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 28, 2025

An image has appeared showing a Chinese commercial roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) ferry linked to a temporary pier via a barge with jack-up supports. This follows the emergence of satellite imagery showing multiple similar, but different jack-up barges in various stages of construction at a shipyard in southeastern China.
Sea

Chinese Barge Usable For Potential Taiwan Beach Landings Seen In Action In New Image

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 15, 2025

USS Jack H. Lucas
News & Features

Cost Of Navy’s Newest Arleigh Burke Destroyers Is Ballooning

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Jan 8, 2025

China has held a launch ceremony for its first super-sized Type 076 amphibious assault ship, now named Sichuan, but the vessel does not look to have gone into the water yet. Chinese Internet capture via X
Sea

China’s Monster Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship Seen Like Never Before At Launch Ceremony

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 27, 2024

USS Boxer at sea. (U.S. Nav)
Sea

The Navy’s Amphibious Fleet Is In Really Bad Shape

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Dec 4, 2024

The Qatari landing ship dock Al Fulk.
Sea

Qatar’s Strange New Warship Combines Air Defense Frigate And Amphibious Assault Ship Roles

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Posted on Dec 3, 2024

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Gray Eagle STOL drone has undertaken its first experimental operations from a warship, taking off from the deck of the South Korean amphibious assault ship Dokdo. Gray Eagle STOL — which we have discussed in depth in the past — incorporates technology first demonstrated on the company’s Mojave, which was specifically developed with the ability to perform short takeoffs and landings, including from rough fields, with minimal support. The latest development adds to the aviation-capable warships that the wider family of Q-1 lineage drones have now operated from.
Air

Gray Eagle STOL Drone Flies From South Korean Amphibious Assault Ship

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 13, 2024

An example of an entirely new class of Chinese vessel with a large open flight deck has emerged at a shipyard in the southeastern end of the country.
Sea

New Chinese Mystery Flattop Emerges

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 29, 2024

Recent photos of the first of the Type 076 landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships — known in the West as the Yulan class — under construction at the yard on Changxing Island in Shanghai reveal first one island superstructure added to the deck, followed by another, installed as of late last month.
Sea

China’s Monster Amphibious Assault Ship Has Twin Island Superstructures Optimized For Aviation Ops

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 7, 2024

Laser Weapon on type 071.
Sea

Laser Weapon Appears On Chinese Amphibious Assault Ship

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 19, 2024

Type 074 sunk by wake homing torpedo by the Chinese Navy.
Amphibious Assault Ships

Chinese Submarine’s Torpedo Destroys Amphibious Landing Ship During Exercise

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 17, 2024

The former US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa is set to be sunk as part of this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which is the first time in more than a decade a ship this big will be used as a target.
Sea

Flattop Amphibious Assault Ship Looks Set To Be Pummeled With Weapons In RIMPAC Wargames

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 10, 2024

China's first example of a new class of big deck amphibious assault ship, which may also be able to act as drone-focused light aircraft carrier, is continuing to take shape, and that shape is big.
Sea

China’s Type 076 Is Shaping Up To Be A Monster Amphibious Warship

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 29, 2024

The United Kingdom has announced plans to build up to six new Multi Role Support Ships (MRSS), a new class of amphibious warfare vessels that will join an ambitious shipbuilding program that now includes a total of 28 warships and submarines. The new MRSS vessels will also accommodate drones, a growing area of interest for the U.K. Royal Navy.
Sea

Royal Navy To Get Up To Six New Amphibious Warships

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 14, 2024