Larger and faster than any previous LST design, they carried a ramp over the bow that allowed them to surpass 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), a goal of the United States amphibious forces.

27 were planned of which twenty were completed, the high number due to the demands of US force projection estimates.

However, the arrival of the air-cushioned landing craft which allowed for over-the-horizon attacks made the class obsolete in the eyes of the United States Navy.

The Newport class were designed under project SCB 247[1] to meet the goal put forward by the United States amphibious forces to have a tank landing ship (LST) capable of over 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

This made the Newport class the first to depart from the standard LST design that had been developed in early World War II.

The LSTs carried 1,750 long tons (1,778 t) of diesel fuel for a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at the cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).

The ships were also equipped with a bow thruster to allow for better maneuvering near causeways and to hold position while offshore during the unloading of amphibious vehicles.

[4][6] The Newport class were larger and faster than previous LSTs and were able to transport tanks, heavy vehicles and engineer groups and supplies that were too large for helicopters or smaller landing craft to carry.

[2][3] The Newport class has the capacity for 500 long tons (508 t) of vehicles, 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m2) of cargo area and could carry up to 431 troops.

[2][8] The vessels also have davits for four vehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVPs) and could carry four pontoon causeway sections along the sides of the hull.

[3][4] The Newport class were initially armed with four Mark 33 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in two twin turrets.

[1][3] Two LSTs were acquired by the Royal Australian Navy in 1994; Sagainaw on 25 August and Fairfax County on 27 September.

Renamed Kanimbla and Manoora, the two vessels underwent conversion in May 1995 at Forgacs Shipbuilding, Newcastle, New South Wales.

[19] On 8 October 2009, while berthed at the Lumut Naval Base, Sri Inderapura caught fire and sank.

[23] The Royal Moroccan Navy acquired one ship from the United States as a grant transfer on 16 August 1994.

[26][27] Pizarro was decommissioned in December 2012 and sold for scrap in February 2016 and was broken up in El Puerto de Santa Maria beginning in March.