Nautical Term: Landing ship dock

Definition of Landing ship dock

A Landing Ship Dock (LSD) is a large naval vessel engineered to accommodate and transport a variety of small landing craft and amphibious vehicles. These vessels are dispatched using a floodable stern dock, which is situated within the hull of the LSD.

For instance, during a military operation, a Landing Ship Dock (LSD) might be deployed to transport and land amphibious vehicles and troops on a hostile shore. The LSD would then use its floodable stern dock to load and transport the landing craft and amphibious vehicles back to the LSD for refueling and resupply before redeploying for the next mission.

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