Operators Hellenic Navy In commission 1994 - present day Active 5 | Built 1993-2000 Completed 5 | |
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Builders Hellenic Shipyards, Greece | ||
The Jason-class LST (Land Ship, Tank) (Hellenic: αρματαγωγό κλάσσης Ιάσων, literally tank-carrier of class Jason) is a class of tank landing ships designed and built in Hellas through a cooperation of the Elefsis Shipyards with the National Technical University of Athens and the Hellenic Navy, which ordered the ships in 1986. Along with the Zubr class LCAC, they are the primary amphibious warfare ships of the Hellenic Navy. The first was laid down on 18 April 1987, second in September 1987, third in May 1988, fourth in April 1989 and fifth in November 1989. Completion of all five and in particular the last three was severely delayed by the shipyard's financial problems, which was privatised in October 1997. Greece tried to start building a sixth ship in 2000 but cancelled it before construction began.
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The ships are capable of transporting 350 infantry troops, but they can transport up to 1,200 infantry for short distances, and they can also carry up to 22 main battle tanks (MBTs) or a variety of other equipment such as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), howitzers, MLRS launchers, trucks, etc.
The Hellenic Navy used the Jason class ships to replace older American landing ships from the Second World War era. The Hellenic Navy preferred to not buy new ships from other nations in order to acquire experience in the design and construction of warships entirely in Greece.
Although the new ships replaced WW2-era LSTs, the Hellenic Navy did not equip the Jason-class ships with marine fighting vehicles (such as BMP-3F) and therefore Greek marines have to utilise tactical landing methods similar to those of the Second World War era. The ships use two types of Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVPs): the type 36 and the type 36F (with F meaning Fast).