Bay class landing ship dock (auxiliary)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RFA Cardigan Bay

The Bay class are a class of landing ship dock (LSD) operated by the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Together with the Albion class they provide the Royal Navy with a significantly enhanced amphibious capability. In November 2006 the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said,These ships represent a major uplift in the Royal Navy's war fighting capability. All four ships of the class will be fully operational by the end of 2007.

1 Characteristics
2 Ships
3 Specifications
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Characteristics

The Bay-class are based on the Royal Schelde Enforcer design, similar to Dutch and Spanish LSDs. They were at first classified as Alternative Landing Ship Logistics (ALSL), to replace the Round Table-class LSL. However, they have been reclassified as Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) (LSD(A)), as they developed into a form very much more like a LSD, with the superstructure forward, a large flight deck aft and a docking well in the stern capable of accommodating a LCU Mk 10. The twin spot flight deck is capable of operating heavy helicopters including the Chinook. The military lift includes the capacity to load and transport up to 32 Challenger 2 tanks. They will have capacity for an Embarked Military Force of 356, with an overload of 500.

Largs Bay and Lyme Bay were built by Swan Hunter on the River Tyne, whilst Mounts Bay and Cardigan Bay were built by BAE Systems Naval Ships at Govan on the River Clyde. On July 13, 2006 it was announced that, due to delays and cost over-runs, fitting out of Lyme Bay would be transferred to BAE Systems Naval Ships at Scotstoun ^[1]. Lyme Bay arrived on the Clyde on July 22, 2006^[2]

Mounts Bay was involved in the Vela Deployment. This was the first time a Bay-class vessel has been involved in the operations of a Royal Navy Amphibious Task Group.

[edit] Ships

[edit] Specifications

Displacement: 16,190 tonnes deep displacement.
Dimensions: 176.6 m length overall; 26.4 m beam; 5.1 m design draft.
Speed: 18 knots
Range: 8000 nautical miles (15,000 km) at 15 knots.
Engines: Diesel-Electric propulsion systems with 2 azimuthing thrusters and bow thruster. 4 main diesel generating sets - 2 x Wärtsilä 8L26 engines (2,240 kW each), 2 x Wärtsilä 12V26 engines (3,360 kW each). 1 auxiliary Wärtsilä standby diesel generating set. Dynamic positioning system.
Armament: None, but fitted to receive military weapons and self defence systems, including Phalanx CIWS.
Complement: 59 crew
Load: 356 troops; 1200 Linear metres of vehicles (e.g. 32 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks); 12 × 40 TEU or 24 × 24 TEU containers, 2 Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP) Mk.5 and 1 Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk 10; two Mexeflote powered rafts.
Aircraft: Twin spot flight deck with limited facilities to transport and operate Merlin, CH-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey. Initially, Mounts Bay and Largs Bay will operate a one spot flight deck, enabling them to carry two Chinooks as deck cargo whilst operating a third from the flight deck.