View source for Austin-class amphibious transport dock

{{Short description|Class of US amphibious transport docks}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Austin (LPD-4) underway in 1982.JPEG
|Ship caption=USS ''Austin'' (LPD-4)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Austin'' class
|Builders=* [[New York Naval Shipyard]],
* [[Ingalls Shipbuilding|Ingalls]], [[Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company|Lockheed]]
|Operators=* {{naval|United States}}
* {{naval|India}}
|Class before={{sclass|Raleigh|amphibious transport dock|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|San Antonio|amphibious transport dock|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=   
|In commission range=1965–2017 (U.S.)

|Total ships building= 
|Total ships planned=13
|Total ships completed=12
|Total ships cancelled=1
|Total ships active=1 (with [[India]])
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=11
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= 
|Ship type=[[Amphibious transport dock]]
|Ship original cost=US$235–419 million per unit
|Ship tonnage={{DWT|7,713}}
|Ship displacement=* 9,201 tons (light)
* 16,914 tons (full)
|Ship length=* {{convert|548|ft|m|abbr=on}}[[Length at the waterline|w/l]]
* {{convert|569|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam=* {{convert|84|ft|m|abbr=on}} w/l
* {{convert|105|ft|m|abbr=on}} extreme
|Ship height=
|Ship draft=* {{convert|22|ft|m|abbr=on}} navigational,
* {{convert|34|ft|m|abbr=on}} ballasted
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=2 × boilers, 2 × steam turbines, 2 × shafts, {{convert|24000|shp|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|21|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=* 1 × [[Landing Craft Air Cushion|LCAC]], or
* 1 × [[Landing Craft Utility|LCU]] & 3 × [[LCM-6]], or
* 4 × [[LCM-8]], or
* 9 × [[LCM-6]], or
* 24 × [[Amphibious Assault Vehicle|AAV]]
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=24 officers, 396 enlisted, 900 marines
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=* 2 × 25&nbsp;mm Mk&nbsp;38 guns
* 2 × [[Phalanx CIWS]]
* 8 × .50-calibre machine guns
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=Up to 6 [[Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight|CH-46 Sea Knight]] helicopters
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

{{redirect|Austin class|the class of Staten Island ferries|Staten Island Ferry#Austen class}}
The '''''Austin'' class''' was a class of twelve [[amphibious transport dock]] ships in service with the [[United States Navy]] from 1965 to 2017. Note that the U.S. [[Naval Vessel Registry]] list separate ''Cleveland'' (seven built) and ''Trenton'' (two built) class ships, but most sources lists them as a single class.<ref>Paul H. Silverstone: ''U.S. Warships since 1945''. Ian Allan Ltd. Sheppertaon, Surrey (UK), 1986, ISBN 0711015988, p. 96.</ref> ''Trenton'' was sold to [[Indian Navy|India]] and is the only ship still active.

==Design==
The ''Austin'' class was an enlarged version of the preceding {{sclass|Raleigh|amphibious transport dock|4}}. Designed under [[Ship Characteristics Board|project SCB 187B]], the ships are about {{convert|47|ft|m|abbr=on}} longer which increased the displacement by some 3,300 tons.<ref>Friedman, Amphibious Ships, pp. 365</ref> The dock is as large as that of the ''Raleigh''-class. In front of the dock was a 70m long raised level to park vehicles which was connected via a ramp to the flight deck. The ramp ended in a new telescoping hangar. Although the flight deck had room for up to six [[CH-46 Sea Knight]] helicopters, the hangar was only a temporary shelter for a single helicopter and not a permanent facility.<ref>Stefan Terzibaschitsch: ''50 Jahre amphibische Schiffe der U.S. Navy''. Leonberg, Germany, 1995, p. 40.</ref> The propulsion consists of two Foster Wheeler boilers (600 psi), powering two De Laval GT turbines, providing 12,000 SHP each for the two propellers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lpd-4.htm|title=LPD 4 Austin class |work=GlobalSecurity.org |date=30 July 2022 |access-date=30 July 2022}}</ref>

The reason for creating a ''Cleveland''/''Trenton'' sub-class is that the last nine ships of the class were built as flagships for [[Amphibious ready group|amphibious ready groups]] with an additional deck above the bridge and accommodations for additional 90 personnel. The SPS-40 radar is also placed higher on the mast. Otherwise the ships are identical. Originally the ships were armed only with four [[3-inch/50-caliber gun]] Mark 33 twin mounts. These were later removed and the weapon stations were used to fit two [[Phalanx CIWS]].<ref>Stefan Terzibaschitsch: ''Seemacht USA''. Bechtermünz Verlang, Augsburg, Germany, 1997, ISBN 3860475762, pp. 576.</ref>

The last ship of the class, LPD-16, while authorized, was cancelled before being constructed. {{USS|Coronado|AGF-11|6}} served for 10 years as an LPD before she was converted into a command ship. She kept her hull number and was redesignated AGF-11. From 2012 to 2017, {{USS|Ponce|LPD-15|6}} served with the [[United States Military Sealift Command]] as a forward base ship with helicopter facilities, which was designated "Afloat Forward Staging Base, Interim".

== Ships ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Ship!!Hull no.!!Builder!!In service!!Homeport!!NVR page
|-
|[[USS Austin (LPD-4)|''Austin'']]||LPD-4 ||[[New York Naval Shipyard]]||1965–2006||[[Norfolk, Virginia]]||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD4|title=LPD04}}
|-
|[[USS Ogden (LPD-5)|''Ogden'']]||LPD-5||New York Naval Shipyard||1965–2007||[[San Diego|San Diego, California]]||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD5|title=LPD05}}
|-
|[[USS Duluth (LPD-6)|''Duluth'']]||LPD-6||New York Naval Shipyard||1965–2005||San Diego, California||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD6|title=LPD06}}
|-
|- style="background:#CCCFFF;"
| colspan=6 align=center| ''Cleveland'' sub-class
|-
|[[USS Cleveland (LPD-7)|''Cleveland'']]||LPD-7||[[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]||1967–2011||San Diego, California||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD7|title=LPD07}}
|-
|[[USS Dubuque (LPD-8)|''Dubuque'']]||LPD-8||Ingalls Shipbuilding||1967–2011||San Diego, California||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD8|title=LPD08}}
|-
|[[USS Denver (LPD-9)|''Denver'']]||LPD-9||[[Lockheed Shipbuilding]]||1968–2014||[[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo, Japan]]||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD9|title=LPD09}}
|-
|[[USS Juneau (LPD-10)|''Juneau'']]||LPD-10||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1969–2008||Sasebo, Japan||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD10|title=LPD10}}
|-
|[[USS Coronado (AGF-11)|''Coronado'']]||LPD-11/<br />[[Command ship|AGF-11]]||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1970–2005||San Diego, California||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=AGF11|title=AGF11}}
|-
|[[USS Shreveport (LPD-12)|''Shreveport'']]||LPD-12||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1970–2007||Norfolk, Virginia||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD12|title=LPD12}}
|-
|[[USS Nashville (LPD-13)|''Nashville'']]||LPD-13||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1970–2009||Norfolk, Virginia||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD13|title=LPD13}}
|-
|- style="background:#CCCFFF;"
| colspan=6 align=center| ''Trenton'' sub-class
|-
|[[USS Trenton (LPD-14)|''Trenton'']]||LPD-14||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1971–2007, 2007–present||Norfolk, Virginia||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD14|title=LPD14}}
|-
|[[USS Ponce (LPD-15)|''Ponce'']]||LPD-15/<br />[[Expeditionary Transfer Dock|AFSB(I)-15]]||Lockheed Shipbuilding||1971–2017||Norfolk, Virginia||{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LPD15|title=LPD15}}
|}
{{-}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist}}
{{Naval Vessel Register}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Friedman|first=Norman |author-link= |title=U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History |publisher=United States Naval Institute |year=2002|location=Annapolis, Maryland |url= |doi= |isbn=1-55750-250-1}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Austin class amphibious transport dock ships}}
* [https://archive.today/20121205105254/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=600&ct=4 U.S. Navy Fact File: Amphibious Transport Dock - LPD]
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/lpd-4.htm Federation of American Scientists: LPD 4 Austin class]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lpd-4.htm GlobalSecurity.org: LPD 4 Austin class]

{{Austin class landing platform dock}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin Class Amphibious Transport Dock}}
[[Category:Austin-class amphibious transport docks| Austin class amphibious transport dock]]
[[Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States| Austin class amphibious transport dock]]
[[Category:Vietnam War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States| Austin class amphibious transport dock]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessel classes]]