Tank landing craft that can float in and out: A flight deck large enough to operate four helicopters;
Assault force headquarters and a world wide communications system.
These are some of the features of HMS FEARLESS, The first of two Royal Navy assault ships,
which was first commissioned at Belfast in November 1965.
The Fearless, and her sister ship the Intrepid, are the most versatile ships yet designed for amphibious warfare. The Fearless has pioneered a new era in British amphibious capability.
The assault ship is virtually a streamlined floating dock with a 3-storey stowage space for vehicles, surrounded by accommodation for the ship's company and military personnel, and surmounted by a flight deck.
The dock is flooded by taking ballast to lower the ship in the water. Fully loaded landing craft are then floated out astern.
Naval and R.A.F. helicopters, and when necessary, Army reconnaissance and communications helicopters, operate from the flight deck.
During amphibious operations the ship becomes a joint headquareters for naval and military commanders.
She can land troops of an infantry battalion or Royal Marine Commando and their equipment, a squadron of tanks or armoured Scout cars, or a complete unit of the Royal Engineers with their heavy equipment.
Ships of the Class displace 12,000 tons, have a length of 520 feet and a beam of 80 feet. They have four Seacat missile systems for defence against surface and air attack, and two 40 m.m. Bofors guns. The main machinery consists of steam turbines in two self-contained units, each driving one shaft