A Landing Ship, Tank (LST) is a type of amphibious warfare ship class designed to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, along with other military vehicles and cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no docks or piers. LSTs were first developed during World War Il and modern LSTs of different classes are now being built and used by several militaries. The shallow draft and bow doors and ramps enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach. In peacetime, LSTs can serve in secondary missions such as humanitarian aid, disaster relief, medical assistance and transportation.
The LST had a highly specialized design that enabled ocean crossings as well as shore groundings. The bow had a large door that could open, deploy a ramp and unload vehicles. The LST had a flat keel that allowed the ship to be beached and stay upright. The twin propellers and rudders had protection from grounding. The LSTs served across the globe during World War II, including in the Pacific War and in the European theater.
In 1940, Rowland Baker, RCNC constructor, was tasked with developing a family of landing craft. He recognised the need for a 'mother' craft to carry smaller landing crafts across oceans. He developed the Landing Ship Dock concept. Baker was sent to the US with sketch designs. He worked with Captain Cochrane USN and BuShips to develop the Atlantic LCT design and fix all the basic parameters. Baker then worked with the US Maritime Commission, who brought the LST(2) to contract design. Winston Churchill arrived in Washington, and landing craft rose in priority. Orders were placed for LSTs and LSDs. Detailed design and construction of later craft was by Higgins of New Orleans.
The British ships were used in late 1942 during the Allied invasion of Algeria. In 1943, LSTs participated in the invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy. In June 1944 they were part of the huge invasion fleet for the Normandy landings.
Over 1,000 LSTs were laid down in the United States during World War II for use by the Allies; the United Kingdom and Canada produced eighty more.
Design
The fundamental design of the Landing Ship, Tank (LST) was born out of a contradictory set of operational requirements: the vessel needed to be highly seaworthy to cross oceans, yet possess a sufficiently shallow draft to deliver heavy armor and personnel directly onto unimproved beaches.Friedman, Norman (2002). U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 109–112. ISBN 1-55750-250-1. To resolve this, early LST designers, notably John C. Niedermair of the United States Navy Bureau of Ships, developed a specialized ballast system.Niedermair, John C. (November 1982). "As I Recall: Designing the LST". Naval History Magazine. Vol. 16, no. 6. United States Naval Institute. By flooding extensive ballast tanks, the ship could achieve a deep draft for stability during ocean transits; upon approaching a landing site, the water was rapidly pumped out, allowing the flat-bottomed hull to ride high in the water and safely run aground. Traditional LSTs of the Second World War era featured a distinctive blunt bow equipped with large clam-shell doors and a fold-down ramp.Rottman, Gordon L. (2005). Landing Ship, Tank (LST) 1942–2002. New Vanguard 115. Osprey Publishing. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-84176-923-3. The internal architecture was centered around a continuous tank deck that ran the length of the vessel, reinforced to support the weight of heavy battle tanks and mechanized equipment. The ships were typically designed with a completely flat keel to prevent structural damage when resting on sand or gravel during tidal shifts. To extract themselves from the beach after offloading, LSTs utilized a stern anchor and winch system, which was dropped offshore prior to beaching to literally pull the vessel back into deep water.
Modern LST design evolved to incorporate greater speed, larger cargo capacities, and enhanced multi-role capabilities. Modern LSTs often integrate Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry concepts, allowing vehicles to be loaded and unloaded from both the bow and the stern, significantly increasing operational efficiency.Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2015). Jane's Fighting Ships 2015-2016. Jane's Information Group. p. 836. ISBN 978-0710631435.
Some prominent examples of contemporary modern LST designs are the Turkish-built Bayraktar-class tank landing ship developed by the Anadolu Shipyard (ADIK) for the Turkish Naval Forces,"Bayraktar Class Landing Ship Tanks (LST), Turkey". Naval Technology. Verdict Media. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2026. the Chinese Type 072A developed for the People's Liberation Army Navy, and the Ivan Gren-class landing ship developed for the Russian Navy.
Unlike their World War II predecessors, the Bayraktar-class vessels (TCG Bayraktar and TCG Sancaktar) are designed with a monohull constructed of AH-36 high-tensile steel and incorporate modern stealth characteristics to reduce their radar cross-section."TCG Bayraktar (L-402) Delivery Ceremony". Defence Turkey. Vol. 11, no. 73. 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2026. The Turkish LST design significantly expands on traditional amphibious assault capabilities. Measuring nearly 139 meters (456 ft) in length with a displacement of 7,254 tonnes, the Bayraktar-class features both an upper and lower Ro-Ro deck capable of carrying up to 1,200 tons of varied cargo, including main battle tanks, amphibious vehicles, and up to 350 fully equipped marines. Furthermore, modern LST designs like the Bayraktar integrate robust aviation facilities; the aft section of the Turkish ships features a reinforced flight deck rated for a 15-ton utility or attack helicopter, replacing the singular focus on beach landings with over-the-horizon aerial assault capabilities. Additionally, these vessels are designed to serve as command and control (C2) ships and hospital ships, featuring advanced combat management systems (GENESIS) and extensive medical facilities, reflecting the shift of LSTs from simple transport vessels to complex multi-mission platforms.
History of service in World War II
From their operational début in Operation Ironclad in May 1942 until the end of the hostilities in August 1945, the LSTs performed a vital service in World War II. They participated in the invasions of Sicily (Operation Husky), Italy, Normandy, and southern France in the European Theater and were an essential element in the island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific that culminated in the liberation of the Philippines and the capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. At the Armor Training School in Ft. Knox, Kentucky, buildings were erected as exact mock-ups of an LST. Tank crews in training learned how to maneuver their vehicles onto, in and from an LST with these facilities. One of these buildings has been preserved at Ft. Knox for historic reasons and can still be seen.
Despite the large numbers produced, LSTs were a scarce commodity and Churchill describes the difficulty in retaining sufficient LSTs in the Mediterranean for amphibious work in Italy, and later the logistics of moving large numbers to the eastern theatres, while still supplying the large armies in Europe.
The LST proved to be a remarkably versatile ship. Thirty-nine of them were converted to become landing craft repair ships (ARL). In this design, the bow ramp and doors were removed, and the bow was sealed. Derricks, booms, and winches were added to haul damaged landing craft on board for repairs, and blacksmith, machine, and electrical workshops were provided on the main deck and tank deck.
Thirty-six LSTs were converted to serve as small hospital ships and designated LSTH. They supplemented the many standard LSTs, which removed casualties from the beach after landing tanks and vehicles. LSTs had brought 41,035 wounded men back across the English Channel from Normandy by D-Day+114 (28 September 1944). Other LSTs, provided with extra cranes and handling gear, were used exclusively for replenishing ammunition. They possessed a special advantage in this role, as their size permitted two or three LSTs to go simultaneously alongside an anchored battleship or cruiser to accomplish replenishment more rapidly than standard ammunition ships.
Three LST (2) were converted into British "Fighter Direction Tenders" (FDT), swapping their landing craft for Motor Launches and outfitted with AMES Type 11 and Type 15 fighter control radar to provide Ground-controlled interception (GCI) coverage for air defence of the D-Day landing areas. Of these ships, HMS FDT 216 was stationed off Omaha and Utah beaches, HMS FDT 217 was allocated Sword, Juno, and Gold beaches. HMS FDT 13 was used for coverage of the overall main shipping channel. In the period 6 June to 26 June Allied fighters controlled by the FDTs resulted in the destruction of 52 enemy aircraft by day, and 24 enemy aircraft by night.
LST flight decks
In the latter stages of World War II, some LSTs were fitted with flight decks that could launch small observation planes during amphibious operations. These were USS LST-16, USS LST-337, USS LST-386, USS LST-525, LST-776, and . Two others (USS LST-393 and USS LST-776) were fitted with the Brodie System for take off and landing.
It has been estimated that, in the combined fleets assembled for the war on Japan, the tonnage of landing ships, excluding landing craft, would have exceeded five million tons and nearly all built within four years.
Throughout the war, LSTs demonstrated a remarkable capacity to absorb punishment and survive. Despite the sobriquets "Large Slow Target" and "Large Stationary Target", which were applied to them by crew members, the LSTs suffered few losses in proportion to their number and the scope of their operations. Their brilliantly conceived structural arrangement provided unusual strength and buoyancy; was struck and holed in a post-war collision with a Victory ship and survived. Although the LST was considered a valuable target by the enemy, only 26 were lost due to enemy action, and a mere 13 were the victims of weather, reef, or accident.
A total of 1,152 LSTs were contracted for in the great naval building program of World War II, but 101 were cancelled in the fall of 1942 because of shifting construction priorities. Of 1,051 actually constructed, 113 LSTs were transferred to Britain under the terms of Lend-Lease, and four more were turned over to the Greek Navy. Conversions to other ship types with different hull designations accounted for 116: 6 Miscellaneous Ships (AG), 14 Motor Torpedo Boat Tenders (AGP), 7 Self-Propelled Barracks Ships or “hotels" (APB), 13 Battle Damage Repair Ships (ARB), 39 Landing Craft Repair Ships (ARL), 3 Salvage Craft Tenders (ARST), 4 Aircraft Repair Ships (ARVA, ARVE), 1 Advance Aviation Base Ship (AVB), 4 Unclassified miscellaneous vessels (IX), and 36 LSTH. One LST which had been sunk in an accident was later raised and converted into a Covered Barge (YF).
History of early post-war developments
United States