Republic of Singapore Navy tank landing ship, RSS Resolution, seen underway off the coast of Queensland, Australia, during Exercise Wallaby 2023. Of interest is the full load of fast landing craft, known as Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEPs) on davits flanking Reso's superstructure. This is believed to be the first official photo showing an Endurance-class LST with its max load of FCEPs (assuming another five on the portside). Had to wait 25 years since the Endurance-class were commissioned in batches from 1998 to see this official photo of an LST with all FCEP davits filled.
With 10 FCEPs embarked and four larger Fast Craft Utility (FCU) landing craft in the LST welldock, this class of ship can land an infantry battalion plus support vehicles in a single wave. The large number of landing craft shortens exposure during the critical ship-to-shore phase of amphibious operations, thus reducing the window of vulnerability to enemy action. At time of commissioning, the Endurance-class could carry the most number of landing craft ton-for-ton compared to other LST classes. Senang Diri believes this record still stands.
There's something else that can be fitted to the LST that makes her special - a self-propelled pontoon that can be linked to form a floating platform. Maybe we wait another few years for the official photo? LOL
P.S. My book, Pukul Habis, has a fictional account of the LSTs in combat.
