Amphibious warfare ships of Australia
Open-knowledge reference entry
The Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army have operated 29 amphibious warfare ships. These ships have been used to transport Army units and supplies during exercises and operational deployments.
History
World War II
The Australian military's first amphibious warfare ships were the three Landing Ships Infantry (LSI): HMAS Kanimbla, HMAS Manoora, and HMAS Westralia. These three ships had been built as civilian motor vessels and were converted to armed merchant cruisers at the outbreak of war in 1939. They were converted again to LSIs in 1943 and took part in United States and Australian amphibious assaults in the South West Pacific Area. The ships had a capacity of about 1,200 troops, which were landed from boats carried by the LSIs. Following the war, the three LSIs remained in service as transports until 1949 when they were returned to their owners.
Cold War
The RAN borrowed six Landing Ships Tank (LSTs) from the Royal Navy between 1946 and 1955. The LSTs were used as general purpose vessels and did not specialise in amphibious operations.
Australia was left without any amphibious combat ships after the LSTs were destroyed..
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