Amphibious transport dock
An
amphibious transport dock (also called
Landing Platform Dock or
LPD) is a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. The
United States Navy operates several of this type of ship; their helicopters,
vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and air-cushion or conventional landing craft support of the
United States Marine Corps's "vertical envelopment" assault doctrine.
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.