Intrepid Class Amphibious Vessels

In their heyday Fearless and Intrepid were two of the Navy's most versatile ships and before the introduction of Helicopter Carrier Ocean they represented the Navy's principle Amphibious Warfare Assets. Having served much longer than originally intended, winning several reprieves from the scrap yard, both vessels are in dire need of replacement and although work on the two new vessels of the Albion Class LPD(R) has commenced, both units are behind schedule. In the meantime Fearless and Intrepid are becoming ever more difficult and costly to maintain with Intrepid now laid up awaiting disposal and providing spare parts for Fearless.

Under the 1981 Defence Review- 'The Way Forward' - the Royal Navy was to loose its amphibious shipping capabilities: Intrepid would be withdrawn from service in 1982 and Fearless would follow in 1984 without replacement. When the Falklands Conflict arose in 1982 Intrepid had already decommissioned but both vessels were readied for war and sailed from Portsmouth. They were a key component in the campaign and vital in the invasion and recapture of the Islands. Following the war it was announced that the vessels would be retained but nevertheless they were expected to be withdrawn by the late 1980s. With both vessels rapidly aging one ship tended to be in refit or reserve while the other was in service: Fearless went into reserve when Intrepid emerged from refit in 1985 and then in 1991 Intrepid went into reserve as Fearless reentered service. Despite increasing maintenance costs the long awaited replacements were not ordered until 1996 and construction on the first until, Albion, began in 1997. Two years later Intrepid was placed in the care of Disposal and Reserve Organisation and will be disposed of once Albion has entered service. Upon the arrival of Albion, Fearless will go into reserve until the second unit, Bulwark, enters service. She will then most likely be scrapped. Fearless is the last steam powered warship in service.

Officially designated as 'LPDs'- Landing Platform Docks - these vessels were principally designed to support Royal Marine Commandos on Amphibious Operations by transporting and landing troops and equipment. The design of these two ships was absed on the American Raliegh Class. During the Cold War they were tasked with supporting NATO's Northern Flank (Northern Norway) in the event of war with the Soviet Union. As the Navy's principle amphibious assets they can could also act as a headquarters for an amphibious task group- a role put to use in the 1982 Falklands Conflict, when Fearless hosted the Commodore Amphibious Task Group and his staff. In the mid to late 1980's the two vessels rotated the role of Dartmouth Training ship providing cadets from the Britannia Royal Naval College, with initial sea training and experience and were fully equipped with class rooms and teaching resources.

The Fearless Class LPDs are truly amphibious vessels. Vehicles drive into the ship's internal dock and on to the landing craft before sailing. When ready for amphibious operations 3,000 tons of Sea Water is pumped into ballast tanks at the stern of the vessel, lowering the stern by three metres. The stern door can then be opened, flooding the aft with water and allowing the four Landing Craft Utilities (LCU) and other small vessels are to sail in and out of the vessel as necessary. The LCUs can carry up to 100 tons of equipment and are stored in the dock. Four smaller Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP) are carried on davits either side of the superstructure and can be lowered into the water. They can carry up to 30 men or alternatively two land rover vehicles. Troops can also be ferried ashore by helicopters and for this purpose the ships have a flight deck measuring 23 metres by 51 metres, capable of supporting most helicopters and in extreme circumstances Sea Harrier aircraft - during the Falklands Conflict (1982) as Sea Harrier was successfully landed aboard both vessels. Fearless and Intrepid can transport a range of vehicles and military equipment which is stored on an internal vehicle deck reached by ramps from the flight deck or from the dock. Track laying and armoured recovery vehicles are always carried but depending on the type of mission tanks, artillery, armoured vehicles, specialist snow, beach or desert craft can be accommodated. In the absence of equipment and vehicles the deck can also be used to transport extra troops or helicopters and similarly in the absence of aircraft the flight deck can also be used to transport vehicles and equipment. Accommodation is provided for 400 marines or in extreme cases up to 700 providing the vehicle deck and corridors are utilised. Both ships are capable of coordinating amphibious landings and exercises and have command and control facilities for a naval task force commander and his staff including an Assault Operations Command Centre.

Fearless and Intrepid have a displacement of around 11,582 tonnes, a figure which rises when they are flooded. They are approximately 158 metres long, with a beam of 24.4 metres and can travel at 21 knots. Originally armed with 40mm Bofor Guns and four Sea Cat Surface- to-Air Missiles (SAMs) and several smaller close range guns, both vessels were later fitted with Oerlikons while Fearless received the Phalanx Close in Weapon System (CIWS). The complement of these ships varies but it' s usually in the region of 600 officers and men with up to a maximum of 700 Royal Marines or Army Personnel. Intrepid served as a test bed for the SCOTT satellite communications system which was later fitted to both vessels.

Above: H.M.S Intrepid (left) and H.M.S Fearless (right) pictured together of Spithead in 1991.

Ship	History
Fearless	Launched by Lady Hull. Involved in counter terrorist operations in Aden during 1966 and landed the Irish Guards in RAF helicopers. Fearless was part of a 25 ship strong fleet sent to Aden in 1967 and was responsible for co-ordinating the withdrawal. In 1968 Fearless was the venue for talks between Harold Wilson and the Rhodesian government. In 1971 she played a major role in the East Pakistan flood relief operations. Fearless became a film star in 1976 when she appeared in the final scenes and closing credits of the tenth James Bond film 'The Spy Who Love Me'. During the filming she had been diverted to the aid of a Greek Cargo ship ablaze and in trouble. During the Falklands Conflict, one of Fearless landing ships was destroyed. General Menedez was held as a prisoner of war onbard. Upon the recommissioning of Intrepid in 1985, Fearless decommissioned and was laid up in reserve at Portsmouth Dockyard for three years after which she began a two year £50 million refit at Devonport finally recommissioning in 1991. In 1999 Fearless joined LPH Ocean in Exercise Argonaut.
Intrepid	Decommissioned in 1981 but recommissioned the following year and sailed to the South Atlantic. After the Falklands war she underwent an extensive 28 million pound refit at Devonport Dockyard and recommissioned in 1985. She spent the many of the following years as Dartmouth Training vessel. Decommissioning for a second time in 1991 she was put into a state of reserve known as "extended readiness" at Portsmouth Dockyard. This required her to be maintained by a complement of 70 and she was expected to be at 30 days notice to put to sea. However many questioned whether she was ever likely to go to sea and while alongside at Portsmouth as her age increased so did the price of her maintenance. On 31st August 1999 she was transferred to the Disposal and Reserve Ships Organization (DRSO) and her complement dropped from 70 to 15 while her period of notice increased from 30 days to nine months. She will be replaced in the fleet by Albion, the first of two new LPDs under construction at Barrow-in-Furness.

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Ship	Pennant No.	Deck Code	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned
Fearless	L10	FS	Harland & Wolff	July 25th 1962	December 19th 1963	November 25th 1965
Intrepid	L11	IS	John Brown	December 19th 1962	June 25th 1964	March 11th 1967