General Characteristics of Ship
USS RICHARD M. McCOOL JR. (LPD 29) is the 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship of and first to be named after Medal of Honor recipient Captain Richard Miles McCool, Jr. Amphibious transport docks are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies by embarked Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22). These ships support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions and serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious operations.
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PROPULSION: Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 40,000 hp (30 MW)
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LENGTH: 208.5 m (684 ft.) overall
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BEAM: 31.9 m (105 ft.) extreme
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DISPLACEMENT: 25,000 tons full
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SPEED: 22 knots (41 km/h)
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CREW: 32 Officers, 34 CPO/SNCO, and 330 Enlisted
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EMBARKED: Marine Expeditionary Force of 60 Officers, 38 CPO/SNCO, and 552 Enlisted
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AIRCRAFT: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters and two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft
may be launched or recovered simultaneously
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BOATS AND LANDING CRAFT: Two LCACs, one LCU and 14 AAVs
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ARMAMENT: Two 30 mm Bushmaster II cannons, for surface threat defense;
two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers for air defense