Exploring a day aboard the US Navy's advanced amphibious transport dock

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Being a global naval power confers a lot of capabilities to countries like the United States. However, if you can't get troops from ship to shore quickly, safely and effectively, there will always be limitations in battle. For this reason, the US military came up with the amphibious transport dock or landing platform dock. Designed to operate in various types of environments from littoral to open ocean, these large-scale boats are specifically intended to transport and deploy ground troops, vehicles, and equipment in support of amphibious operations. They are also versatile enough to support a wide range of missions, including humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and non-combatant evacuation operations. The San Antonio-class LPDs are the gold standard around the world. Introduced by the U.S. military in 2006, these massive vessels measure 684 feet long and 105 feet wide at the beam and carry more than 1,000 personnel in all. This includes roughly 300 sailors and around 700 ground troops. Though the ship is immensely capable in battle, its primary purpose is to deploy other vehicles to support land and air-based missions. Each of the 12 LPDs designed so far features a well deck at the stern. This can be flooded to allow boats, amphibious vehicles, and landing craft air cushions to enter and leave. There's also an internal hangar, and a rather large flight deck from which the LPD can launch tiltrotor aircraft and helicopters. Of course, like other modern ships, San Antonio-class LPDs feature plenty of space dedicated to troop berthing, mess decks, medical facilities, and command and control. There is also a large engineering deck where the crew can work on and maintain the ship's engines. The heart of any amphibious transport dock is the well deck, which measures roughly 267 feet long and 50 feet wide. This area is where massive hovercrafts like the LCAC, as well as amphibious vehicles and fastboats are launched. Engineers simply hit a switch to flood the deck, lower the ramp, and the vehicles can deploy and recover as needed. When not flooded, well decks resemble an aircraft hangar, with spaces to tie down vehicles and prep them for a potential incursion on land. No matter the job, from moving troops and equipment to transporting trucks and armored personnel carriers, there is a set of vessels aboard the LPD that can accomplish it. As with all military ships, the most critical area on the ship is the bridge. This area essentially functions as the central command and control station. It's where the ship's officers and crew navigate and steer the vessel, and where the commanding officer, the officer of the deck, the navigator, and communications personnel spend most of their time. In addition to these key personnel, there may also be other officers, enlisted men and women, and watchstanders on the bridge, depending on the size and type of the ship. In the case of LPDs, the bridge is located at the front of the ship, just before the first communication tower. Though boats and hovercraft can carry more equipment and troops to the shore, helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey are essential to nearly every LPD mission. An LPD will typically carry two Ospreys and four smaller helicopters of varying types. Around 40% of the ship's top half is dedicated to the flight deck, which sits in front of an internal aircraft hangar. The deck is around 265 feet long and 50 feet wide, but it boasts a total weight capacity of around 70,000 pounds. Though there is no runway, the flight deck operates in a similar way to that of an amphibious assault ship or aircraft carrier. During flight operations, the ship's crew will work closely with the aviation personnel to ensure safe takeoffs and landings. These men and women will also practice safety drills and other exercises to take advantage of the vast open space. All LPDs have a space in the lower decks to accommodate vehicles, whether standard land vehicles or amphibious assault vehicles. However, this storage area connects to not only the well deck, but also the flight deck. So, in certain conditions, vehicles like the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System can be brought up top for maintenance, training, and other demonstrations. This multi-purpose design was considered long before the first San Antonio-class LPD was The US military knew very well that space aboard the vessel would be severely limited. Though the V-22s typically act as transport for troops and equipment, the average amphibious transport dock will also carry smaller aircraft, like the AH-1 Super Cobra attack helicopter. These nimble, 45-foot-long attack helicopters carry a wide range of weaponry. These include a 20-millimeter Gatling cannon, multiple 2.75-inch rockets, And AIM-9 Sidewinder Anti-Aircraft Missiles. They are also small enough that they can be easy to deploy in virtually any situation. As with most other large naval ships, as much effort goes into creating a functioning community as it does a weapon of war. Each LPD has a mess hall, where food service specialists work to make three meals a day for the 1,000 people on board. Like aircraft carriers, LPDs will also have a place where both men and women can get their hair cut. Though this might seem extraneous to some, it's actually imperative. Not only does the US military maintain regulations regarding hair length and style, but short hair can contribute to the cleanliness of the vessel and prevent the potential spread of bacteria. Many people are surprised to find out that vessels like the USS Green Bay will regularly hold picnics and other events designed solely to give their crew members a chance to unwind and enjoy themselves. In some cases, teams will play games like cornhole and basketball while enjoying burgers and hot dogs on the flight deck, known as steel beach parties. Such events are rare, but extremely important for maintaining troop morale. The United States military has a counterpart to the LPD known as an amphibious assault ship, or LHA. Though they are very similar to the LPD in mission type, they differ both in size and appearance. For instance, an LHA like the USS America features a flight deck design similar to that of an aircraft carrier, whereas LPDs tend to be more akin to destroyers. The America-class amphibious assault ships are 844 feet long and 100 feet wide, with the capacity to carry more than 1,600 Marines and 1,100 crew members. Life on board one of these LHAs is quite similar to living on an LPD. However, operations tend to differ by focusing less on the well deck and more on the flight deck. LHAs can carry a large complement of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, including MV-22 Ospreys, Harriers, F-35Bs, and CH-53 Super Stallions, some of the biggest helicopters in service. During the average workday, these helicopters will deploy to practice rescue operations and other scenarios to further hone the skills of the flight and flight deck crews. Though they are heavily armed and armored, LPDs and LHAs are considered by the military to be logistical vessels. This is because they primarily facilitate the movement of troops and equipment to or from a given area. Another example of this sort of ship is what's known as an expeditionary sea base, or ESB. Typically, ESBs are used to support air and amphibious operations, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief efforts. These ships were modeled after oil tankers. However, instead of the cargo bays containing oil, they carry vehicles, boats, and aircraft. Like the USS Miguel Keith, the average ESB is 685 feet long and roughly 164 feet wide. They carry a complement of just 250 crew, but are still intended to support a range of missions. The flat open deck of the ESB is one of its most essential features. Not only is it large, but it can also be configured for a wide range of different circumstances. The average ESB carries a complement of Ospreys and other vertical takeoff and landing craft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles. With these vessels, the focus is always on versatility. The deck, berthing areas, and mission bay are all modular, meaning they can be easily configured and reconfigured depending on the given deployment. Like the LHA and LPDs, the fact that these ships are ready for anything is what makes them such a valuable addition to the U.S. fleet. That's the end of this video. 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