According to information published by the U.S. Navy on April 21, 2022, the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Narvik, Norway for a scheduled port visit.
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Whidbey Island-class LSD USS Gunston Hall (Picture source: U.S. Navy)
The ship’s presence in Norway is a demonstration of the U.S. Navy’s continued commitment to the collective defense of the European region and reinforces the strong bond between the United States and Norway.
It also builds upon other recent engagements between the U.S. and Norway, including USS Kearsarge’s (LHD 3) recent port visit to Tromsø, Norway, as well as training opportunities between the two nations during exercises Cold Response 22 and Northern Viking 22.
USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44) is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. Gunston Hall was laid down on 26 May 1986, at the Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, LA, launched on 27 June 1987, commissioned on 22 April 1989, and assigned to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.
She has a crew of 30 officers and 300 sailors and can embark up to 504 marines. The ship has a landing platform for two Sikorsky Sea Stallion helicopters.
The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship is powered by four 4 Colt Industries 16-cylinder diesel engines which provide 33,000 shp. (25,000 kW) to two shafts. The ship can reach a top speed of 20 knots. (37 km/h; 23 mph).
The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship is armed with two 25 mm Mk 38 automatic cannons, two 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Close-In Weapon Systems mounts two Rolling Airframe Missile, and six .50 caliber M2HB machine guns.
