RFA Largs Bay in Portland Harbour |
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| Career (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | RFA Largs Bay |
| Namesake: | Largs Bay |
| Ordered: | 18 December 2000 |
| Builder: | Swan Hunter, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear |
| Laid down: | 28 January 2002 |
| Launched: | 18 July 2003 |
| In service: | 28 November 2006 |
| Out of service: | April 2011 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9240756 |
| Fate: | Decommissioned under SDSR, sold to Australia |
| Career (Australia) | |
| Name: | HMAS Choules |
| Namesake: | Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules |
| Acquired: | 6 April 2011 |
| Commissioned: | 13 December 2011 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9240756 |
| Motto: | "Face Difficulty With Zeal" |
| Status: | Active as of 2012 |
| Badge: | |
| General characteristics as Largs Bay | |
| Class and type: | Bay class 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 propulsion 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 |
| Armament: | • 2 × 7.62mm Mk.44 Miniguns • 6 × 7.62mm L7 GPMGs Fitted to receive : • Phalanx CIWS • 30 mm DS30B cannon |
| Aircraft carried: | None carried |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size |
HMAS Choules (L100) is a Bay class landing ship dock that served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) from 2006 to 2011, before being transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The vessel was built as RFA Largs Bay (L3006) by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. She was named after Largs Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland, and entered service in November 2006. During her career with the RFA, Largs Bay served as the British ship assigned to patrol the Falkland Islands in 2008, and delivered relief supplies to Haiti following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
At the end of 2010, Largs Bay was marked as one of the vessels to be removed from service under the Strategic Defence and Security Review. She was offered for sale, with the RAN announced as the successful bidder in April 2011. After modifications to make her more suited for Australian operating conditions, the vessel was commissioned in December 2011 as HMAS Choules, named after Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules.
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The Bay class was designed as a replacement for the Round Table class logistics ships operated by the RFA.[1] The new design 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 with the British ships is the lack of a helicopter hangar.[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.[3] Four ships were ordered; two from Swan Hunter, and two from BAE Systems Naval Ships.[1]
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] For self defence, Largs Bay is fitted with two Mk.44 miniguns and six 7.62mm L7 GPMGs.[4] In addition, she is fitted for but not with a Phalanx CIWS and a 30 mm DS30B cannon.[4] The standard ship's company consists of 60 officers and sailors.[1]
As a sealift ship, Largs Bay is capable of carrying up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks in 1,150 linear metres of space.[1] 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] No helicopters are carried onboard, but 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.[3][1] The well dock can carry one LCU Mark 10 or two LCVPs, and two Mexeflotes can be suspended from the ship's flanks.[3][1] Two 30-ton cranes are fitted between the superstructure and the flight deck.[1]
Largs Bay and sister ship Lyme Bay were ordered from Swan Hunter on 18 December 2000.[1] Largs Bay was laid down at Swan Hunter's shipyard at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear on 28 January 2002; the first ship of the class work started on.[1] The ship was launched on 18 July 2003.[1] The ship was completed and accepted by the Ministry of Defence in April 2006, over a year late.[5] Largs Bay was dedicated on 28 November 2006, the second of the class to enter service with the RFA.[1] The Bay class construction project saw major delays and cost overruns, particularly in the Swan Hunter half of the project.[5] Shortly after Largs Bay was handed over, Swan Hunter was stripped from the project, with BAE taking full responsibility for the class and Lyme Bay towed to BAE's shipyard in Govan for completion in June 2006.[5]
Largs Bay, with HMS Albion and HMS Ark Royal, was involved in training exercises called "South West Scimitar" between 26 February and 8 March 2007. In late November 2007, Largs Bay embarked 815 Naval Air Squadron 215 Flight and left home waters for the Caribbean to conduct counter-drug operations.[6] She visited eleven islands including Barbados, Curaçao, Grand Turk, Martinique, Trinidad and also the USA.[6] Three days after leaving Barbados Largs Bay's patrolling helicopter spotted a small fishing vessel stopped in the water and detained her after a pursuit; 575 kilograms (1,270 lb) of cocaine were recovered, with an estimated £20 million European street value.[6] She participated in Navy Days while in port at Curaçao, where several hundred people toured her.[6]
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.[7]
On 3 February 2010, Largs Bay headed off to Haiti with a load of aid supplies, for 2010 Haiti earthquake relief efforts.[8] On 18 February 2010, she arrived at Port-au-Prince and commenced unloading of the supplies.[9] On 30 March 2010, she returned home.[10] In August 2010, the ship participated in the Bournemouth Air Festival.[11]
In December 2010, it was announced that the ship would be decommissioned in April 2011 as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.[12][13] Shortly after marking Largs Bay for disposal, the British Ministry of Defence contacted the Chilean government and suggested the vessel as a potential replacement for the landing ship tank vessel Valdivia, which was due to leave service.[14] In January 2011, the Australian Department of Defence announced that it was interested in purchasing the vessel for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as a replacement for the heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk or one of the Kanimbla class amphibious warfare ships.[13][15] Interest in the ship was also shown by Brazil and India.[16]
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.[17][18] Sea trials during April showed that the ship was in good condition, although she will have to be modified before entering Australian service, particularly to allow operation in tropical conditions.[19] The RAN also acquired two Mexeflotes, allowing the ship to retain that capability.[20]
On 13 August, it was announced that Largs Bay would be renamed HMAS Choules when commissioned into the RAN.[21] The name comes from Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules, who served in both the Royal Navy and the RAN during his career, and prior to his death in May 2011, was believed to be the last living participant in World War I.[21][22] Choules will be the second RAN vessel to be named after an enlisted sailor, after the submarine HMAS Sheean.[23] The ship's pennant number will be L100, reflecting the 100th anniversary of the RAN, which occurred in 2011.[22] Her motto is "Face Difficulty With Zeal".[24]
On 14 October, the vessel was handed over to the RAN.[25] She arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 9 December,[25] and was commissioned into the RAN on 13 December.[26] Choules is due to enter full operational service in early 2012, and will be based at Fleet Base East.[24][20]
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