Amphibious warfare ship, often shortened to amphibs, phibs, or popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault. The largest fleet of these types is operated by the United States Navy, including the Tarawa class amphibious assault ships dating back to the 1970s and the newer and larger Wasp class ships that debute...
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Amphibious warfare ship, often shortened to amphibs, phibs, or popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault. The largest fleet of these types is operated by the United States Navy, including the Tarawa class amphibious assault ships dating back to the 1970s and the newer and larger Wasp class ships that debuted in 1989.
Amphibious assaults need such fine control and such a large degree of coordination that it is only the top tier powers that have the ability to even attempt them seriously, let alone pull them off. The two nations that have made by far the most amphibious assaults during the past century are the United States and the United Kingdom. From the great assaults of World War II to the recent attack on the Al-Faw Peninsula in Iraq, both countries have been at the forefront of developing amphibious assault doctrine and shipping.
The history...
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