Austin-class (LPD-4)

The Austin class was developed under project SCB 187B as an enlarged variant of the preceding Raleigh class. Twelve ships were completed by New York Naval Shipyard, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and Lockheed Shipbuilding, with one additional vessel canceled before construction.

The design includes an extended hull to accommodate a raised vehicle parking level connected to the flight deck by a ramp. A telescoping hangar is situated at the end of this ramp to provide temporary shelter for a helicopter. Propulsion is provided by boilers and steam turbines. The class is sometimes divided into Cleveland and Trenton sub-classes because the final nine units were configured as flagships. These ships feature an additional deck above the bridge for command staff and a higher mast mounting for the SPS-40 radar. Originally armed with twin gun mounts, these were later replaced by Phalanx CIWS at the same weapon stations.

The class served in the United States Navy from 1965 until 2017. While the majority of the vessels are retired, the Indian Navy continues to operate the former USS Trenton. Several ships were reassigned to specialized roles during their service history. USS Coronado was converted from an amphibious transport dock into a command ship and redesignated AGF-11. Between 2012 and 2017, USS Ponce operated as an interim afloat forward staging base for the Military Sealift Command.