LHD, LHA, LPD, LPH, WTF!?!

[GCoyote]

When I check out the ships sailing with an ESG, I usually see one big deck amphib and one or two of the smaller types plus escorts.

The most logical thing to my mind is to put the assault force on the big deck amphib so you can maximize the rate at which you are moving combat power ashore. Now what about the smaller ships? What do you load on which ship and why?

Is there a doctrine for this? A 'right way' to assign units to each ship based on layout, hangar space, landing plan, etc?

[johns624]

Not everyone or everything moves ashore by chopper. Some come on hovercraft or landing craft.

[Massena]

It depends on the shipping available and what is going to be embarked and then landed.

The large amphibious ships that look like and are the size of a War II aircraft carrier at about 30,000 tons have the helicopters and probably most of the infantry.

The ships that have a well deck and carry the landing craft such as the LCUs and the LCACs have the vehicles, tanks, and artillery, etc.

Embarkation is a science in itself and the processes have developed continuously since the 1930s. Every scrap of space on the ships is utilized, and you can load for combat or merely for transportation. All of the navy amphibious ships have Marine Corps combat cargo officers who are responsible for the uploading and embarkation of the Marines and equipment as well as getting them ready to disembark and land.

And it takes awhile.

Sincerely,
M

[Merkava188]

Large-deck amphibous ships like the Wasp and Tarawa-class ship are also where the bulk of the tacair in based (AV-8 Harriers,AH-1 Cobras,Ospreys, Hueys, as well as the F-35B if the can get to work right.) the stuff that makes any amphious assualt go like clock work.The San Antoino -class LPDs serve also as a staging base as well and would likely be used as a floating arming and refueling base for the Cobras and the Ospreys at a midpoint between the shore and the ESG.

[OpanaPointer]

I was stationed on USS Peleliu LHA-5 for two years. We carried a few thousand grunts plus their toys. M-60s back then, plus support gear. Then entire battalion didn't fit on the Largest Hotel Afloat, so we traveled with LSD and LPDs, and the odd LST.

[TacCovert4]

As has been said:

Beach ops are very complex things. The LHA or LHD that tends to lead the TF (unless there is a dedicated command ship) can hold x number of Marines/AAVs/etc. in its bays, and launch x number per hour from its well deck. Then you need the LCUs, the LCACs, sometimes intermediate variants such as the LCM (though IIRC that's been phased out), the tank company, all of the supplies, the POL (including the pipeline from ship to shore), Medical facilities for casualties, etc.

It gets to be rather a lot of crap. The LHDs run towards the air ops side, with some of the offload, the LPDs run more exclusively cargo operations, and the others fill in the middle.

[T. A. Gardner]

The assault goes ashore in AAV-7's LCAC's and other systems that are either small targets or fast. The bulk of the cargo that follows over the beach goes on LCU's and LCM's. The amphib ships sit well off shore.

[TacCovert4]

Actually a huge quantity of cargo comes ashore on LCACs....LCUs are slow and require a more specific set of conditions to operate. LCACs don't particularly care.

[Nichols]

When I was deploying with the 13th & 15th MEUs out of California the embark plan was like this:

Helo Company most of the FSSG types were on the LHA/LHDs

Weapons Company, Artillery, tanks and some FSSG types were on the LPD, this ship had LCACs.

Small Boat Company and Trac Company was on the LSD

[TacCovert4]

Pretty much what it was when I was working with MEUs. Never did a float personally....I was a redpatcher, but it seemed that my specialty was fixed and rotary wing aviation in hole after hole....

[GCoyote]

Originally Posted by Nichols

When I was deploying with the 13th & 15th MEUs out of California the embark plan was like this:

Helo Company most of the FSSG types were on the LHA/LHDs

Weapons Company, Artillery, tanks and some FSSG types were on the LPD, this ship had LCACs.

Small Boat Company and Trac Company was on the LSD

Close enough for gaming. Thanks!

Originally Posted by TacCovert4

Pretty much what it was when I was working with MEUs. Never did a float personally....I was a redpatcher, but it seemed that my specialty was fixed and rotary wing aviation in hole after hole....

Heh, heh,

[OpanaPointer]

The very large islands on the LHA and later were to accommodate CCC3 for the mud skippers.

[Carl Schwamberg]

Originally Posted by OpanaPointer

The very large islands on the LHA and later were to accommodate CCC3 for the mud skippers.

..and very nice accomodations those were. Quite a change from a cold wet tent with bad lighting, bad coffee, bad food, bad comms. Just all around miserable.

[Nichols]

Just saw this picture on the Navy site. I forgot about the LAVs

I'll get one of my cruise books tonight and give an accurate breakdown..

[OpanaPointer]

Originally Posted by Carl Schwamberg

..and very nice accomodations those were. Quite a change from a cold wet tent with bad lighting, bad coffee, bad food, bad comms. Just all around miserable.

I never understood the attraction of playing in the mud. When I went to war (at least later in my service) I went with clean sheets and ice cream machines.