Editing Roll-on/roll-off (section)

===Further developments===
[[File:Atlantic Conveyor .jpg|thumb|left|''Atlantic Conveyor'' approaching the [[Falkland Islands|Falklands]] on or about 19 May 1982]]

The first roll-on/roll-off vessel that was purpose-built to transport loaded semi trucks was ''Searoad of Hyannis'', which began operation in 1956. While modest in capacity, it could transport three semi trailers between Hyannis in Massachusetts and Nantucket Island, even in ice conditions.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=SeEDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Mechanics+Science+installing+linoleum&pg=PA87 "Roll-On Roll-Off Ship"] ''Popular Mechanics'', April 1956, p. 87</ref>

In 1957, the US military issued a contract to the [[Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.|Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]] in [[Chester, Pennsylvania]], for the construction of a new type of motorized vehicle carrier. The ship, [[USNS Comet (T-AK-269)|USNS ''Comet'']], had a stern ramp as well as interior ramps, which allowed cars to drive directly from the dock, onto the ship, and into place. Loading and unloading was sped up dramatically. ''Comet'' also had an adjustable chocking system for locking cars onto the decks and a ventilation system to remove exhaust gases that accumulate during vehicle loading.

During the 1982 [[Falklands War]], {{SS|Atlantic Conveyor}} was requisitioned as an emergency aircraft and helicopter transport for British [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier]] [[STOVL]] fighter planes; one Harrier was kept fueled, armed, and ready to VTOL launch for emergency air protection against long range Argentine aircraft. ''Atlantic Conveyor'' was sunk by Argentine [[Exocet]] missiles after offloading the Harriers to proper aircraft carriers, but the vehicles and helicopters still aboard were lost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fleetairarmoa.org/pages/fleet_air_arm_history/history.shtml|title=History of Fleet Air Arm Officers Association, FAAOA|work=fleetairarmoa.org}}</ref>

After the war, a concept called the shipborne containerized air-defense system (SCADS) proposed a modular system to quickly convert a large RORO into an emergency aircraft carrier with ski jump, fueling systems, radar, defensive missiles, munitions, crew quarters, and work spaces. The entire system could be installed in about 48 hours on a container ship or RORO, when needed for operations up to a month unsupplied. The system could quickly be removed and stored again when the conflict was over.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wingweb.co.uk/aircraft/Harrier_VTOL_Jump-Jet_part4.html |title=The full story of the Harrier "Jump-Jet" Part Four – the "Second Generation" Harriers – The BAe / MDD AV-8B Harrier II, GR.5, GR.7, GR.9 & T.10 Harriers |work=wingweb.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019135316/http://www.wingweb.co.uk/aircraft/Harrier_VTOL_Jump-Jet_part4.html |archive-date=2013-10-19 }}</ref> The Soviets flying [[Yakovlev Yak-38]] fighters also tested operations using the civilian RORO ships ''Agostinio Neto'' and ''Nikolai Cherkasov''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_488.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050217202728/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_488.shtml|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 17, 2005| title=The Soviet Navy Forger: Yak-36M, Yak-38, Yak-38U and Yak-38M|work=acig.org}}</ref>