Amphibious command ship

{{Short description|Type of amphibious warfare ship used for command and control}} {{For |the unrelated Landing Craft, Control (LCC) used in WWII|Landing craft}} {{more footnotes|date=February 2014}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = USS Mount Whitney (LCC-JCC 20) in Souda Bay.jpg | image_caption = USS ''Mount Whitney'' }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview | name = ''Blue Ridge'' Class | builders =*Philadelphia Naval Shipyard - LCC 19 *Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. - LCC 20 | operators = United States Navy | class_before = | class_after = | subclasses = | cost = | built_range = | in_commission_range = 1970 - Present | total_ships_building = | total_ships_planned = | total_ships_completed = 2 | total_ships_canceled = | total_ships_active = 2 | total_ships_laid_up = | total_ships_lost = | total_ships_retired = | total_ships_scrapped = | total_ships_preserved = }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | type = | displacement = 18,874 long tons (19,176.89 metric tons) full load | length = {{convert|634|ft|abbr=on}} | beam = {{convert|108|ft|abbr=on}} | draft = {{convert|26|ft|9|in|abbr=on}} full load | propulsion = Two boilers, one geared turbine, one shaft; {{convert|22,000|hp|abbr=on}} | speed = {{convert|23|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}} | range = {{convert|13,000|nmi|km mi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|16|kn|km/h}} | complement = 720 enlisted, 23 officers | sensors = | EW = | armament = | armour = | armor = | aircraft = All helicopters except the CH-53 Sea Stallion can be carried | aircraft_facilities = | notes = }} }}

An '''amphibious command ship''' (LCC) of the United States Navy is a large, special-purpose ship, originally designed to command large amphibious invasions. However, as amphibious invasions have become unlikely,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The questionable future of amphibious assault |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-questionable-future-of-amphibious-assault/ |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Brookings |language=en-US}}</ref> they are now used as general command ships, and serve as floating headquarters for the various combatant commands. Currently, they are assigned to the 6th and 7th Fleets as flagships.

== Active ships == *USS ''Blue Ridge'' (LCC-19)<ref>{{cite journal|title=Blue Ridge Again Serves As Flagship For Seventh Fleet|journal=Defense Daily|date=28 September 2004|volume=223|issue=62|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-123870716.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011021455/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-123870716.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 October 2017|issn=0889-0404}}</ref> *USS ''Mount Whitney'' (LCC-20)

== Previous ships == {{USS|Mount McKinley|AGC-7}} was the lead ship of the previous class of amphibious force command ships. She was designed as an amphibious force flagship, a floating command post with advanced communications equipment and extensive combat information spaces to be used by the amphibious forces commander and landing force commander during large-scale operations.

== World War II == In World War II this type of ship was termed '''Amphibious Force Flagship (AGC)'''. It was not a specific ship class, but rather one that had appropriate radio capabilities and space for command operations. Typically a merchant ship under construction would be completed as an Amphibious Force Flagship, but some ships were refitted for this purpose. *{{USS|Ancon|AGC-4}}, former AP-66 *{{USCGC|Duane|WAGC-6}}, former WPG-33 *{{USS|Biscayne|AGC-18}}, former AVP-11 *{{USCGC|Taney|WAGC-37}}, former WPG-37 The original meaning of '''AGC''' was based on the ''General Auxiliary'' class of miscellaneous unclassified vessels '''AG''' and sub-class '''C''', with 3 possible meanings; ''Command'', ''Control'', or ''Communications'', but it became an anacronym, since all AGCs were called ''Amphibious Force Flagships''. The British used the term Landing Ship Infantry (Headquarters) for this type of ship.

== See also == *{{slink|List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships#Amphibious Force Flagship (AGC)}} *{{slink|List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships#Amphibious Command Ship (LCC)}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050527203405/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=500&ct=4 U.S. Navy Factfile] *[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lcc-19.htm LCC 19 Blue Ridge class] at ''GlobalSecurity.org'' *[https://books.google.com/books?id=8MwyTX-iA2wC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1 p177 AGC ships of the U.S. fleet] *[https://books.google.com/books?id=oWX-x0b4pw4C p261 U.S. amphibious ships and craft: Command and Control]

Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the United States Navy Category:Ship types