Newport-class tank landing ship

USS Newport (LST-1179)
Class overview
Builders	Philadelphia Naval Shipyard National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Operators	Initial  United States Navy Export  Royal Australian Navy  Brazilian Navy  Chilean Navy  Royal Malaysian Navy  Mexican Navy  Royal Moroccan Navy  Republic of China Navy  Spanish Navy
Preceded by	De Soto County class
Succeeded by	Landing Craft Air Cushion
Built	1966–1972
In commission	1969–present
Planned	27
Completed	20
Cancelled	7
Active	5
Lost	1
Retired	14
General characteristics As built
Type	Tank landing ship
Displacement	4,793 long tons (4,870 t) light 8,342 long tons (8,476 t) full load
Length	522 ft 4 in (159.2 m) oa 562 ft (171.3 m) over derrick arms
Beam	69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draft	17 ft 6 in (5.3 m) max
Propulsion	2 shafts 6 ALCO or GM diesel engines (3 per shaft) 16,500 shp (12,300 kW) Bow thruster
Speed	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) max
Range	2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Troops	431 troops or 29 tanks and other vehicles
Complement	213
Sensors and processing systems	2 × Mk 63 GCFS SPS-10 radar
Armament	2 × twin 3"/50 caliber guns

Newport-class tank landing ships were an improved class of tank landing ship (LST) designed for and employed by the United States Navy from 1969 to 2002. The ships were intended to provide substantial advantages over their World War II-era predecessors. Larger and faster than any previous LST design, they carried a ramp over the bow that allowed them to surpass 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), a goal of the United States amphibious forces. 27 were planned of which twenty were completed, the high number due to the demands of US force projection estimates. However, the arrival of the air-cushioned landing craft which allowed for over-the-horizon attacks made the class obsolete in the eyes of the United States Navy. Placed in reserve, twelve were eventually sold to foreign navies, while the remaining eight have since been decommissioned.