Navies from war to relief: the start of operation Iraqi freedom in 2003, along with the devastation caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, have refocused the attention of navies across the world on amphibious missions and manoeuvre from the sea. To this end, across six continents, acquisitions and developments of new amphibious landing support ships and landing craft are proceeding apace.(Complete Guide)

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The post-Cold War environment has pushed these vessels to the forefront of expeditionary operation requirements--particularly the large Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) and Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships which can embark helicopters, tilt-rotors, fixed-wing aircraft, conventional landing craft and air-cushioned landing craft, while also offering substantial space for cargo, troops, equipment and materiel storage. Moreover, many of these vessels also boast additional facilities such as hospitals and medical treatment areas along with 'plug-and-play' command and control facilities from which a commander can establish a headquarters to direct land or coastal operations.

The attractions are obvious. In an global environment where intervention in a lawless failed state is no longer discounted, the amphibious support ship provides a mobile military base from which humanitarian relief, peacekeeping and enforcement, war-fighting, command and control and re-supply can be all be performed--perhaps simultaneously, from one platform. This also removes the need to rely on local facilities that may be located in a very hostile environment. Thus the amphibious support ship becomes the ideal asset for the so-called 'three block war' concept of Marine Corps Commandant General Charles Krulak, by which military forces may be required to perform warfighting, peacekeeping and humanitarian operations simultaneously in a very small urban area. Moreover, such vessels, thanks to high-speed landing craft and rotary aviation, can remain safely beyond the horizon and away from coastal threats.

At the war-fighting end of the spectrum these vessels allow a joint force of naval and land assets to perform manoeuvre from the sea, that is identifying weak points in coastal defences and then executing rapid and determined air envelopments and amphibious landings to secure a beachhead and then move inland to the objective.

As regards humanitarian operations, the significant amount of materiel which an amphibious support ship can carry, along with its delivery assets such as the landing craft and rotary aviation, provide a means to supply humanitarian relief to a disaster area. Helicopters can perform air-sea rescue and survivor search, while troops on board can assist on land with the delivery of aid and upholding law and order. These vessels can also bring their attributes to bear in the role of evacuation from disaster zones or war torn areas, as was seen during Operation Baliste in July 2006 when the Marine Nationale (the French Navy) used its Mistral and Siroco LPDs for the evacuation of European Union citizens from Lebanon.

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Asia

The amphibious renaissance is highly visible in Asia where several countries are re-evaluating their capabilities. China's People's Liberation Army Navy launched their first Type-071 LPD in December 2006. Constructed by Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai the vessel will be able to embark hovercraft and rotary aviation. At 17,600 tonnes, it is the largest amphibious support ship which the People's Liberation Army Navy possesses, compared to its 1600-tonne Type-073, 1650-tonne Type-073IV and 800-tonne Type-074 medium landing ships and the 135-tonne Type-067 and 58-tonne Type-068/069 …