Ships such as HMS Fearless, HMS Albion, and the US San Antonio class are often treated as postwar creations. Plans for the landing platform dock concept were already under discussion in the late 1930s. The Royal Navy's need to move troops and conduct amphibious operations around the world supplied the strategic pressure. Landing-craft history becomes distinct when navies begin designing specialist craft instead of relying on whatever ship's boats are available.
Notable Point · 1:36:45-1:38:11
Landing platform dock ideas predated the Second World War
A closing preview traces Royal Navy discussion of purpose-built landing-platform-dock concepts back to the late 1930s.