RFA Mounts Bay in Norway, during 2010 |
|
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Swan Hunter and BAE Systems Naval Ships |
| Operators: | Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Australian Navy |
| Preceded by: | Round Table class landing ship logistics |
| Built: | 28 January 2002-26 November 2007 |
| In commission: | 13 July 2006-present |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Landing ship dock |
| Displacement: | 16,160 t (15,905 long tons) full load |
| Length: | 579.4 ft (176.6 m) |
| Beam: | 86.6 ft (26.4 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) 2 x Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, 9,000 hp (6.7 MW) 2 x propulson pods 1 x bow thruster |
| Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Range: | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
1 LCU or 2 LCVP in well deck; 2 Mexeflote powered rafts |
| Capacity: | 1,150 linear metres of vehicles (up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks) Cargo capacity of 200 tons ammunition or 24 TEU containers |
| Troops: | 356 standard, 700 overload |
| Complement: | 60-67 |
| Armament: | • 2 × 7.62mm Mk.44 Miniguns • 6 × 7.62mm L7 GPMGs • Phalanx CIWS • 30 mm DS30B cannon All armament may be installed, or fitted to receive |
| Aircraft carried: | None carried |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size |
The Bay class is a ship class of four Dock landing ships built for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) during the 2000s. Based on the Dutch-Spanish Royal Schelde Enforcer design and intended as a replacement for the Round Table class logistics ships, two ships each were ordered from Swan Hunter and BAE Systems Naval Ships. Construction work started in 2002, but saw major delays and cost overruns, particularly at Swan Hunter's shipyard. In mid 2006, Swan Hunter was stripped of work, and the incomplete second ship was towed to BAE's shipyard for completion. All four ships, Largs Bay, Lyme Bay, Mounts Bay, and Cardigan Bay had entered service by 2007.
Since entering service, the Bay class ships have been used for amphibious operations, training of the Iraqi Navy in the Persian Gulf, counter-drug deployments in the Caribbean, and relief operations following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In 2010, Largs Bay was removed from service as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. She was sold to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 2011, who operate her as HMAS Choules.
Contents |
The Bay class was designed as a replacement for the Round Table class logistics ships operated by the RFA.[1] Planning for the class began in the 1990s, after the original intent to modernise and extend the service life of three Round Tables ran into problems with extensive corrosion and problems implementing new safety standards.[2] After the first Round Table returned to service two years late and after excessive cost, the Ministry of Defence began to investigate the acquisition of new ships.[2] In 2000, the MoD released a request for tender for two ships under a budget of 150 million pounds, with the option to acquire three more.[2] Three shipyards responded, but only Swan Hunter's design met all the tender requirements.[2] Their offer was based on the Royal Schelde Enforcer design; a joint project between the Dutch and Spanish resulting in the Rotterdam class and Galicia class amphibious warfare ships.[1] The main difference of the British ships is the lack of a helicopter hangar.[3] A desire to help support British shipbuilding prompted the order to increase from two to four vessels, with BAE Systems Naval Ships, one of the other tenderers, brought in to build the other two ships.[1][2] The ships were originally designated "Auxiliary Landing Ship Logistics" or ALSL, but this was changed in 2002 to "Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary)" or LSD(A), better reflecting their operational role and bringing them into line with the NATO designation for the Royal Schelde vessels.[4][2]
The Bay class ships have a full load displacement of 16,160 tonnes (15,900 long tons).[1] Each is 579.4 feet (176.6 m) long, with a beam of 86.6 feet (26.4 m), and a draught of 19 feet (5.8 m).[1] Propulsion power is provided by two Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, providing 6,000 horsepower (4.5 MW), and two Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, providing 9,000 horsepower (6.7 MW).[1] These are used to drive two steerable propulsion pods, with a bow thruster supplementing.[1] Maximum speed is 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), and the Bay class ships can achieve a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[1] The ships were designed with an armament of two Mark 44 miniguns, six 7.62mm L7 GPMGs, a Phalanx CIWS, and a 30 mm DS30B cannon: the ships were designed to be fitted for but not with, and not all weapons are fitted to all ships.[5] The standard ship's company consists of 60 to 67 officers and sailors, berthed in individual cabins.[1][2] The design is certified as a Class 1 Passenger Ship, with design similarities to ro-pax ferries.[2]
As a sealift ship, each Bay class vessel is capable of carrying up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks in 1,150 linear metres of space, with stern- and side-ramp access to the vehicle deck.[1][2] The cargo capacity is equivalent of 200 tons of ammunition, or 24 Twenty-foot equivalent unit containers.[1] During normal conditions, a Bay class ship can carry 356 soldiers, but this can be almost doubled to 700 in overload conditions.[1] The twin-spot flight deck is capable of handling helicopters up to the size of Chinooks, as well as Merlin helicopters and Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.[4][1] There is no hangar for long-term embarkation of a helicopter, although a temporary shelter can be fitted to house a Merlin or smaller helicopter.[2] The well dock can carry one LCU Mark 10 or two LCVPs, and two Mexeflotes can be suspended from the ship's flanks.[4][1] Two 30-ton cranes are fitted between the superstructure and the flight deck.[1] Internal passages are wide enough to allow two fully kitted marines to pass each other.[2]
Largs Bay and Lyme Bay were ordered from Swan Hunter's shipyard at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, on 18 December 2000, while Mounts Bay and Cardigan Bay were ordered from BAE's Govan, Scotland yard on 19 November 2001.[1] Construction stated at Swan Hunter with Largs Bay on 28 January 2002, and at BAE with Mounts Bay on 25 August 2002.[1] Mounts Bay was the first to enter service, on 13 July 2006.[1]
The Bay class construction project saw major delays and cost overruns, particularly in the Swan Hunter half of the project: Largs Bay was handed over to the RFA in April 2006, and entered RFA service in November, a year behind schedule.[6] Shortly after Largs Bay was handed over, Swan Hunter was stripped from the project, with BAE taking full responsibility for the class on 13 June 2006.[1][6] The incomplete Lyme Bay was towed to BAE's shipyard in Govan.[7][8] The ship was the last to be built on the River Tyne, and the only warship built by Swan Hunter but not completed.[7] BAE completed construction, and Lyme Bay was dedicated on 26 November 2007; the last ship of the class to enter RFA service.[1]
Mounts Bay was involved in the Vela Deployment in 2006. This was the first involvement of a Bay-class vessel in a Royal Navy Amphibious Task Group operation.
In mid-April 2007, Cardigan Bay sailed for "Operation Orion 07", a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean.
In late November 2007, Largs Bay was deployed to the Caribbean for counter-drug operations.[9] During the deployment, the ship made visited ports across the Caribbean islands and the United States mainland, and intercepted a 575-kilogram (1,270 lb) cocaine shipment.[9]
From 2008 until the end of 2010, Cardigan Bay was used to accommodate and train personnel of the Iraqi Navy under the tutelage of Royal Navy and United States Navy personnel.[2] During this time, the ship operated almost exclusively in the Persian Gulf.[2]
In late 2008, it was reported that Largs Bay was to replace HMS Northumberland for duties in the Falkland Islands. Northumberland was to have left for the Islands in December 2008, but was instead sent for pirate patrol off Somalia.[10]
On 3 February 2010, Largs Bay headed off to Haiti with a load of aid supplies, for 2010 Haiti earthquake relief efforts.[11] On 18 February 2010, she arrived at Port-au-Prince and commenced unloading of the supplies.[12] On 30 March 2010, she returned home.[13]
In December 2010, it was announced that a Bay class vessel, later identified as Largs Bay, would be decommissioned in April 2011 as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.[14][15] On 17 March 2011, the Australian Department of Defence announced that the RAN would be bidding for Largs Bay; this was followed on 6 April by news that a £65 million (A$100 million) bid had been successful.[16][17] She was commissioned into the RAN on 13 December 2011 as HMAS Choules, after receiving modifications for service in tropical conditions.[18][19]
In June 2011, Cardigan Bay headed to Yemen to aid with the potential evacuation of British citizens affected by the ongoing unrest in Yemen.[20]
| Royal Fleet Auxiliary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name[1] | Laid down[1] | Launched[1] | In service[1] | Out of service[1] | Notes |
| RFA Largs Bay (L3006) | 28 January 2002 | 18 July 2003 | 28 November 2006 (RFA) | April 2011 (RFA)[14] | Sold to RAN in April 2011[17] |
| RFA Lyme Bay (L3007) | 22 November 2000 | 3 September 2005 | 26 November 2007 | - | Active as of 2011 |
| RFA Mounts Bay (L3008) | 25 August 2002 | 9 April 2004 | 13 July 2006 | - | Active as of 2011 |
| RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009) | 13 October 2003 | 8-9 April 2005 | 18 December 2006 | - | Active as of 2011 |
| Royal Australian Navy | |||||
| Name | Acquired | In service | Out of service | Notes | |
| HMAS Choules (L100) (ex-Largs Bay) | 6 April 2011 | 13 December 2011[18] | Active as of 2011 | ||
|
|||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||