Royal Navy Amphibious ships.

[IronDuke99]

The main current Royal Navy Amphibious warfare ships include:

HMS Ocean: Landing Platform Helicopter, 18 helos -up to chinook size- 4 x LCVP landing craft. Up to a maximum of 1,000 Royal Marines.

She is due to pay off in 2018/19. This ship has been used very hard in her career and she really should be replaced in my view.

HMS Bulwark, HMS Albion: Landing Platform Dock, each 4 X LCU and 4 X LCVP landing craft. very large flight deck, 400-700 Royal Marines, around 70 vehicles up to MBT size.

4 X Bay Class Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Landing Ship Dock, each 1 LCU or 2 x LCVP, large flight deck, 350-700 Royal Marines, up to 24 x Challanger2 MBT or equivalent.

In addition up to 6 x Point Class sealift ships are available to the RN, at between 20 and 30 days notice, that can carry up to 130 armoured vehicles and 60 trucks. they also have a flight deck.

All of the above ships can operate helos up to Chinook size.

The Royal Marines Brigade Group has 3 x Royal Marine Commandos -roughly battalion sized formations- plus supporting arms, including a regiment of 105mm light gun artillery support and Special Forces. They can be reinforced by British Army formations including armour and Apache attack helicopters, etc.

The Royal Marines also have hovercraft, the latest being 2400TD (C. 2010) that carries some armour.

Please note that the three Royal Marines Commandos units are in Company, not squadron formations. Like the USMC, the Royal Marines are part of the Navy, not the Army. The Special Boat Service -SBS- are the Royal Marines Special Forces and, roughly, equivalent to the US Navy Seals.

Hopefully useful to anyone doing British amphibious landing ops.