Jump to content

Fearless-class landing platform dock

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid
Class overview
NameFearless class
Operators Royal Navy
Succeeded byAlbion class
In commission1965–2002
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeLanding platform dock
Displacement16,950 tons
Length158.5 m (520 ft)
Beam24.4 m (80 ft)
Draught6.3 m (21 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 steam turbines
  • 22,000 shp (16,000 kW)
Speed22 knots (41 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Capacity
  • Up to 700 troops
  • 15 tanks
  • 27 vehicles
Complement580
Armament
Aircraft carried5 helicopters

The Fearless-class landing platform docks were the first purpose-built amphibious assault vessels in the Royal Navy. The class comprised two ships: HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid.

Designed as landing platform docks (LPD), they were designed to transport and land troops by sea either using Landing Craft Utility (LCU) or helicopters. As constructed, the ships have an internal dock that is accessed via the stern—while in port, vehicles can drive up the stern ramp and into the internal vehicle decks. At sea, the ships could partially submerge themselves at the stern, flooding the internal dock and allowing landing craft to come right up to the edge of the vehicle deck.

Each ship carried four LCUs in the stern dock, with four smaller landing craft on davits on the superstructure. They provided accommodation for up to 400 troops, which could be increased to 700, if no vehicles were carried.

Service

[edit]

Intrepid was put into extended reserve in 1991, effectively removing her from active service. While in this state, she was used as a source of spares to maintain Fearless. Intrepid was finally withdrawn from service in August 1999. Fearless was kept in service, and continued to be deployed in concert with HMS Ocean until the end of 2002, when she too was withdrawn from service, ready for the Albion class to enter the fleet. The Fearless class were the last steam-powered surface vessels in Royal Navy service (nuclear submarines use a steam turbine drive).

1982 Falklands War

[edit]
Fearless

Sailed from Portsmouth on 6 April 1982 as part of Operation Corporate Task Force.[1] She carried the staff of Commodore Amphibious Warfare (COMAW) Michael Clapp and the Commanding Officer of 3 Commando Brigade, Brigadier Julian Thompson, acting as the afloat headquarters for planning and coordination of the San Carlos landings. During the landings at San Carlos Water on 21–22 April, Fearless’ landing craft put ashore elements of 3 Commando Brigade and troops of 5 Infantry Brigade, establishing the beachhead that would drive the advance towards Port Stanley.[2]

On 8 June 1982, two of her LCVP landing craft (Foxtrot 4 and Foxtrot 7) rescued survivors from the frigate HMS Ardent after it was struck by Argentine aircraft; Royal Marine Corporal Alan White earned a Task Force Commander’s Commendation for rescuing 41 crew from Foxtrot 7, and Colour Sergeant Brian Johnston was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal after his actions in Foxtrot 4. Fearless remained on station until the cessation of hostilities on 14 June 1982, then returned to Portsmouth after nearly three months away.

Intrepid

Sailed from Portland on 26 April 1982 following a rapid work‑up and joined the South Atlantic task group for amphibious operations[3]. Between 26 April and 5 May, she carried Commando Headquarters and Royal Marines’ landing craft, rehearsing landings en-route to Ascension Island and then San Carlos Water[4]. Intrepid’s boats helped deploy beach reconnaissance teams on the night of 20–21 April to survey landing sites under cover of darkness.

On 27 May, an A-4B Skyhawk of Argentine Grupo 5 was damaged by 40mm Bofors fire from Intrepid while over San Carlos Water and later crashed near Port Howard.[5]

After the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, Intrepid remained in the islands to assist with the distribution of supplies.[6] She sailed from San Carlos Water on 26 June 1982 and arrived back at Portsmouth on 14 July 1982.

Ships

[edit]
Pennant Name (a) Hull builder
(b) Main machinery manufacturers 		Laid down Launched Accepted into service Commissioned Estimated building cost[7]
L10 Fearless (a) Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast
(b) English Electric Co Ltd, Rugby (steam turbines)
(b) David Brown & Co Ltd, Huddersfield (gearing)[8] 		25 July 1962 19 December 1963 November 1965[8] 25 November 1965 £11,250,000[8]
L11 Intrepid (a) John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank
(b) English Electric Co Ltd, Rugby (steam turbines)
(b) David Brown & Co Ltd, Huddersfield (gearing)[9] 		19 December 1962 25 June 1964 March 1967[9] 11 March 1967 £10,300,000[9]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news/falklands-40-key-naval-dates-april-1982
  2. ^ https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2024/06/the-san-carlos-fob-forward-operating-base/
  3. ^ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1105187228303514
  4. ^ https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060018697
  5. ^ "Argentine aircraft lost 3 April – 15 June 1982". Naval-History.net. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  6. ^ https://www.imarest.org/resource/life-aboard-hms-intrepid-during-the-falklands-conflict.html
  7. ^ "Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)."
    Text from Defences Estimates
  8. ^ a b c Defence Estimates, 1966-67, page 72, Table 3 (Programme): List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31 March 1966
  9. ^ a b c Defence Estimates, 1966–67, page 75, Table 3 (Programme): List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31 March 1967
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fearless class LPD.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fearless-class_landing_platform_dock&oldid=1303351246"