San Giorgio-class

The San Giorgio class is a series of amphibious transport docks built by Fincantieri at the Riva Trigoso Shipyard. The class succeeded the Grado and Caorle classes in Italian service. The Italian Navy commissioned three vessels between 1988 and 1994: San Giorgio, San Marco, and San Giusto. Fincantieri also produced variants for the Algerian National Navy and the Qatari Emiri Navy.

The design includes a stern floodable dock configured to carry multiple landing craft. The vessels transport a battalion of troops and armored vehicles. Aviation facilities consist of a flight deck for helicopter operations, accommodating aircraft such as the AW-101 and AB-212. San Giorgio and San Marco were modified after construction with longer, full-length flight decks featuring four landing spots. San Giusto was built with a modified internal design and is utilized as a training ship. The Algerian variant, identified as a Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique (BDSL), includes an internal hangar for armored vehicles and a missile system located behind the superstructure.

The Italian vessels are based at the Brindisi naval base on the Adriatic coast. The Algerian ship, Kalaat Béni Abbès, entered service in 2014. The Qatari vessel, Al Fulk, was delivered in late 2024. According to the Italian Ministry of Defence 2023-2025 planning document, the two oldest vessels in the class are scheduled for replacement by new amphibious assault ships. These replacement vessels are expected to accommodate heavy landing craft and feature flight decks with multiple helicopter spots. Contractual arrangements for the replacements were anticipated in 2024, with deliveries projected between 2028 and 2030.