Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:13:55-1:16:27

A larger Trieste-style replacement for HMS Ocean

An ideal HMS Ocean replacement would enlarge Italy's Trieste concept to carry the stores, aircraft, and marines needed for British expeditionary distances.

Amphibious WarfareHMS OceanLHDRoyal MarinesRoyal NavyItalian Amphibious Assault Ship Trieste (L9890)
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Question

What would an ideal replacement for HMS Ocean look like?

Short answer

A larger Trieste-style LHD, lengthened for North and South Atlantic stores, a bigger air group, and brigade-scale Royal Marines capacity.

Notes

The proposal starts with Italy's Trieste and adds the space needed for frequent North and South Atlantic operations. An overall length of roughly 265 metres and a full-load displacement approaching, but probably below, 45,000 tons are suggested. Much of the extra volume is intended for stores, alongside an air group larger than the twelve helicopters and F-35s attributed to the baseline design. The proposed troop capacity rises to about 800 marines normally and 1,200 to 1,600 at maximum capacity. Those figures assume a preferred force structure in which the Royal Marines again deploy as a brigade; they do not describe an adopted replacement programme.