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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

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 Intrepid was finally withdrawn from service in August 1999.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was kept in service, and continued to be deployed in concert with HMS Ocean until the end of 2002, when she too was withdrawn from service, ready for the Albion class to enter the fleet.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).

Ships

Pennant Name (a) Hull builder
(b) Main machinery manufacturers 		Laid down Launched Accepted into service Commissioned Estimated building cost[1]
L10 Fearless (a) Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast
(b) English Electric Co Ltd, Rugby (steam turbines)
(b) David Brown & Co Ltd, Huddersfield (gearing)[2] 		25 July 1962 19 December 1963 November 1965[2] 25 November 1965 £11,250,000[2]
L11 Intrepid (a) John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank
(b) English Electric Co Ltd, Rugby (steam turbines)
(b) David Brown & Co Ltd, Huddersfield (gearing)[3] 		19 December 1962 25 June 1964 March 1967[3] 11 March 1967 £10,300,000[3]

Notes

  1. ^ "Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)."
    Text from Defences Estimates
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ 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
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