| Career (Australia) | |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | City of Canberra |
| Builder: | Navantia, Ferrol, Spain and BAE Systems Australia, Williamstown Victoria |
| Laid down: | 23 September 2009 |
| Launched: | 17 February 2011 |
| Commissioned: | 2014 (expected) |
| Homeport: | To be Fleet Base East |
| Status: | Under construction |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Canberra class Landing Helicopter Dock |
| Displacement: | 27,851 tonnes (27,411 long tons; 30,700 short tons) maximum |
| Length: | 230.8 m (757 ft) |
| Beam: | 32.0 m (105.0 ft) |
| Draft: | 7.18 m (23.6 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 1 x GE LM 2500 (17.4 MW) Combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG), 2 x 7.2 MW diesels, 2 x 11 MW pods |
| Speed: | 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph) |
| Range: | 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) 9,250 nautical miles (17,130 km; 10,640 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Endurance: | 50 days before requiring replenishment |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
4 x LCM-1E |
| Capacity: |
830 lane metres (3,290 m2) Heavy vehicle deck: 1,410 m2 (15,200 sq ft) |
| Troops: | 978 (+ 146 additional) |
| Complement: | 243 core (+ 36 additional) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Giraffe AMB radar, Saab 9LV combat system |
| Armament: | 4 x 25 mm Rafael Stabilized Deck Guns (Naval Bushmaster M242) |
| Aircraft carried: | Between 16 and 24 helicopters |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck with 13 degree ski-jump, 6 in-line deck landing spots and permanent deck parking space for 6 extra aircraft. |
HMAS Canberra (LHD 01)[1] is the first of two Canberra class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships constructed for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Construction of the ship started in Spain in 2008, with the hull launched by Navantia in 2011. The hull is to then be transported to Australia for completion by BAE Systems Australia. Canberra is predicted to commission into the RAN in 2014, and will be the largest ship ever operated by the RAN.
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The Canberra class design is based on the warship Juan Carlos I, built by Navantia for the Spanish Navy.[2] The contract was awarded to Navantia and Australian company Tenix Defence following a request for tender which ran from February 2004 to June 2007, beating the enlarged Mistral class design offered by the French company Direction des Constructions Navales.[3][2][4] Canberra has the same physical dimensions as Juan Carlos I, but differ in the design of the island superstructure and the internal layout, in order to meet Australian conditions and requirements.[5] Unlike the Spanish vessel, the Australian ships are built to meet Lloyd's Naval Rules.[5]
The Canberra class vessels are 230.8 metres (757 ft) long overall, with a maximum beam of 32 metres (105 ft), and a maximum draught of 7.18 metres (23.6 ft).[6] At full load, Canberra will displace 27,851 tonnes (27,411 long tons; 30,700 short tons), making them the largest vessels to serve in the RAN.[1][6] Propulsion is provided by two 11-megawatt azimuth thrusters with onboard electrc motors.[6] The electricity is provided by a Combined diesel and gas system, with a single General Electric LM 2500 turbine (producing 17.4 megawatts) supported by two 7.2-megawatt diesels.[6] The LHD will have a maximum speed of 20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph), with a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), or 9,250 nautical miles (17,130 km; 10,640 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).[6]
Each ship is fitted with a Saab 9LV Mark 4 combat management system.[5] The sensor suite includes a Sea Giraffe 3D surveillance radar, and a Vampir NG infrared search and track system.[5] For self-defense, the LHDs will be fitted with four RAFAEL Typhoon 25 mm remote weapons systems, one in each corner of the flight deck.[7] The ships' companies will consist of 243 core personnel, plus up to 36 additional personnel, from all three branches of the Australian Defence Force.[6][1]
The LHD will transport 978 soldiers and their equipment, with overflow capacity for another 146.[6] She is to be capable deploying a reinforced company of up to 220 soldiers at a time by airlift.[5] Canberra has a vehicle capacity of 830 lane metres (equivalent to 3,290 square metres (35,400 sq ft) of space).[6] Two vehicle decks (one for light vehicles, the other for heavy vehicles and tanks) have areas of 1,889 square metres (20,330 sq ft) and 1,410 square metres (15,200 sq ft) respectively.[6] The well deck is capable of launching and recovering landing craft in conditions up to Sea State 4.[6]
The hangar deck is 990 square metres (10,700 sq ft) in area.[6] An air group of between 16 and 24 helicopters can be carried, a mix of MRH-90 transport helicopters and S-70B Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters.[8] Although too large for the hangar, helicopters as large as the Boeing CH-47 Chinook can be operated from the flight deck.[5] The ski-jump ramp of Juan Carlos I has been retained for the RAN ship, although carrier-like flight operations is not envisaged for Canberra.[9]
Construction of Canberra began in September 2008, when the first steel was cut.[4] The first three of 104 hull 'blocks' were laid down by Navantia at Ferrol in northern Spain on 23 September 2010.[4] The hull was launched on 17 February 2011 by Vicki Coates, the widow of Rear Admiral Nigel Coates, a former commanding officer of the Adelaide class frigate HMAS Canberra.[1][10]
After the completion of the hull up to the level of the flight deck, Canberra will be transported by heavy lift ship to Williamstown, Victoria by mid-2012, where the installation of the island superstructure and the interal fitout of the hull will to be completed by BAE Systems Australia (which acquired Tenix in mid 2008).[2][5] Canberra is predicted to commission into the RAN during 2014.[5]