USS Cayuga (LST-1186) was a of the United States Navy which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs). The vessel was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and was launched in 1969 and commissioned in 1970. Cayuga took part in the Vietnam War and Gulf War in American service. Decommissioned in 1994, the LST was transferred to the Brazilian Navy the same year on loan and renamed NDCC Mattoso Maia (G 28). The ship was purchased by Brazil outright in 2001. Mattoso Maia is currently in service. Design and description Cayuga was a which were designed to meet the goal put forward by the United States amphibious forces to have a tank landing ship (LST) capable of over . As the traditional flat-fronted bow door form for LSTs would not be capable of such speeds, the Newport class adopted a traditional ship hull pointed bow above which was mounted a aluminum ramp slung supported by two derrick arms. The ramp was capable of sustaining loads up to . This made the Newport class the first to depart from the standard LST design that had been developed in early World War II. The LST had a displacement of when light and at full load. Cayuga was long overall and over the derrick arms which protruded past the bow. The vessel had a beam of , a draft forward of and at the stern at full load. Cayuga was fitted with six Alco 16-645-ES diesel engines turning two shafts, three to each shaft. The system was rated at and gave the ship a maximum speed of for short periods and could only sustain for an extended length of time. The LST carried of diesel fuel for a range of at the cruising speed of . The ship was 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. 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. The LSTs have a ramp forward of the superstructure that connects the lower tank deck with the main deck and a passage large enough to allow access to the parking area amidships. The vessels are also