A picture of the H.S.S Hermione on a Humanitarian mission in West Africa
Early plans of the Geryon Class Landing Platform Dock
The Geryon Class L.P.D is an Amphibious Transport Dock (A.T.D) also called the Landing Platform Dock built for amphibious warfare and Humanitarian missions. Amphibious transport docks perform the mission of amphibious transports, amphibious cargo ships, and the older LPDs by incorporating both a flight deck and a well deck that can be ballasted and deballasted to support landing craft or amphibious vehicles.
There are currently fifty-five Geryon Class LPDs under construction and One-hundred in commission as of August 2009; LPDs 156 through 165 are planned, but have not been awarded to a shipyard or all named. The final unit cost for each ship is 950 Billion USD. The class's increased vehicle and substantial cargo carrying capacity will make it a key element of 21st century Amphibious Ready Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, or Joint task forces. The 12 ships of the new class integrate the latest in shipbuilding and warfighting technologies to support current and future Marine Corps aircraft, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles (EFVs) and both air cushion or conventional landing craft. The ship's ability to carry Landing Craft, Air Cushioned (LCACs) and EFVs, the Shipboard Wide Area Network with over 762 fiber optic drops, Total Ship's Training System, Integrated Bridge System, Engineering Control System, and Damage Control System all serve to ensure that sailors and Marines will be able to fully perform their expeditionary warfare missions.
Information
Type: Amphibious transport dock
Displacement: 24,900 t
Length: 684 ft (208 m)
Beam: 105 ft (32 m)
Draft: 23 ft (7.0 m), full load
Propulsion: Four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 41,600 shp
Speed: In excess of 22 knots (41 km/h)
Boats and landing
craft carried: 2× LCACs (air cushion); or
1× LCU (conventional); and
14× Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles (EFV)
Complement: Crew: 28 officers, 333 enlisted
Landing force: 66 officers, 633 enlisted
Armament: 2× Bushmaster II 30 mm Close in Guns
2× Rolling Airframe Missile launchers
Several twin M2 Browning Machine Gun turrets
Aircraft carried: Launch or land up to four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or four CH-47 Chinook; or up to two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft simultaneously with room to spot four MV-22s on deck and one in the hangar
Cost: $950 Billion USD