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HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid
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Class overview | |
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Name | Fearless class |
Operators | ![]() |
Succeeded by | Albion class |
In commission | 1965–2002 |
Completed | 2 |
Retired | 2 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Landing platform dock |
Displacement | 16,950 tons |
Length | 158.5 m (520 ft) |
Beam | 24.4 m (80 ft) |
Draught | 6.3 m (21 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 22 knots (41 km/h) |
Boats & landing craft carried |
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Capacity |
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Complement | 580 |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried | 5 helicopters |
The Fearless-class landing platform docks were the first purpose-built amphibious assault vessels in the Royal Navy. The class comprised two ships: HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid.
Designed as landing platform docks (LPD), they were designed to transport and land troops by sea either using Landing Craft Utility (LCU) or helicopters. As constructed, the ships have an internal dock that is accessed via the stern—while in port, vehicles can drive up the stern ramp and into the internal vehicle decks. At sea, the ships could partially submerge themselves at the stern, flooding the internal dock and allowing landing craft to come right up to the edge of the vehicle deck.
Each ship carried four LCUs in the stern dock, with four smaller landing craft on davits on the superstructure. They provided accommodation for up to 400 troops, which could be increased to 700, if no vehicles were carried.