研制背景作为传统的海军强国,英国在长达40多年的时间内,除了在20世纪60年代末和1998年建成了“无恐”级船坞登陆舰和“海洋”号直升机两栖攻击舰外,在大型两栖作战装备方面一直没有大的动作,因而两栖作战能力与其他一些海军强国相比,显得十分不足。特别是“无恐”级船坞登陆舰在90年代退役后,英国海军的两栖作战能力更显单薄。为了彻底改变这种局面,进一步加强两栖战能力,英国海军在1998年决定建造2艘船坞 Development Background As a traditional naval power, the United Kingdom for more than 40 years time, except in the late 1960s and 1998 built a “fearless” class dock landing ship and “sea” helicopter amphibious assault ship, in the Large-scale amphibious operations equipment has not been a big move, so amphibious combat capability compared with some other naval powers, it is not enough. Especially in the “fearless” class dock landing ship retired in the 90's, the British Navy's amphibious combat capability even more meager. In order to completely change this situation and further enhance amphibious warfare capabilities, the British Navy decided in 1998 to build two docks