HMAS Leeuwin (A 245)
HMAS Leeuwin operating off Singapore in 2010 | |
Career (Australia) | |
---|---|
Namesake: | Cape Leeuwin |
Ordered: | 2 April 1996 |
Builder: | NQEA, Cairns |
Launched: | 19 July 1997 |
Commissioned: | 27 May 2000 |
Homeport: | HMAS Cairns |
Motto: | "I Shall Maintain" |
Status: | Active as of 2015 |
Badge: | |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Hydrographic Survey Ship |
Displacement: | 2,170 tons |
Length: | 71.2 m (234 ft) |
Beam: | 15.2 m (50 ft) |
Draught: | 4.3 m (14 ft) |
Propulsion: | 4 × GEC Alsthom 6RK 215 generators, 2 × Alsthom electric motors, 2 shafts 1 × Schottel bow thruster |
Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Range: | 18,000 nautical miles (33,000 km; 21,000 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
Complement: | 10 officers, 46 sailors, up to 5 trainees |
Sensors and processing systems: | Navigation: STN Atlas 9600 ARPA; I-band. Sonar: C-Tech CMAS 36/39; hull mounted high frequency active sonar Atlas Fansweep-20 multibeam echo sounder Atlas Hydrographic Deso single-beam echo sounder Klein 2000 towed sidescan sonar array |
Armament: | 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns |
Aircraft carried: | 1 × AS 350B Squirrel (not permanently embarked) |
HMAS Leeuwin (HS 01/A 245) is the lead ship of the Leeuwin Class of hydrographic survey vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Design and construction
Leeuwin has a displacement of 2,170 tons at full load.[1] She is 71.2 metres (234 ft) long, with a beam of 15.2 metres (50 ft), and a draught of 4.3 metres (14 ft).[1] Main propulsion machinery consists of four GEC Alsthom 6RK 215 diesel generators, which supply two Alsthom electric motors, each driving a propeller shaft.[1] A Schottel bow thruster is fitted for additional manoeuvrability.[1] Maximum speed is 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), with a range of 18,000 nautical miles (33,000 km; 21,000 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).[1]
The sensor suite consists of a STN Atlas 9600 APRA I-band navigational radar, a C-Tech CMAS 36/39 hull-mounted sonar, an Atlas Fansweep-20 multibeam echo sounder, an Atlas Hydrographic Deso single-beam echo sounder, and a Klein 2000 towed sonar.[1] The sonars and echo sounders allow the vessels to chart waters up to 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) deep.[2] There are three sets of davits fitted to carry Fantome class survey boats.[1] The ship is fitted with a helicopter deck for an AS 350B Squirrel helicopter (detached from 723 Squadron), although there are no long-term hosting facilities.[1] She is armed with two single 12.7 mm machine guns.[2] The ship's company consists of 10 officers and 46 sailors, plus up to 5 trainees.[1] The Leeuwin class were the first RAN ships to use a multi-crewing concept, with three complements used to operate the two vessels.[2]
Leeuwin was ordered from NQEA on 2 April 1996, and built at the company's shipyard in Cairns, Queensland.[1] She was laid down on 9 May 1997 and launched on 23 June 1998.[2] Leeuwin and sister ship Melville underwent a joint commissioning ceremony on 27 May 2000.[1] Leeuwin initially carried the pennant number "HS 01", but this was changed to "A 245" in 2004.[2] She is named after Cape Leeuwin, the south-west-most point of the Australian continent.
Operational history
In late 2001, Leeuwin began to operate in support of border protection operations in addition to her normal hydrographic duties.[2][3] In January 2002, Leeuwin was repainted from white to grey.[2][3]
In October 2013, the ship participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney, Australia.[4] The fleet was reviewed by Governor-General Quentin Bryce on 5 October from Leeuwin 's helicopter deck, with Bryce accompanied by Prince Harry.[5]
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 Saunders (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships 2008–2009, p. 33
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 26
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bateman et al., in Rothwell & VanderZwaag (eds.), Towards principled ocean governance, p. 130
- ↑ Commonwealth of Australia (2013). "Participating Warships: International Fleet Review, Sydney, Australia, 3–11 October 2013". www.navy.gov.au. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ↑ Walsh, Fiona (4 October 2013). "International Fleet Review: seven to watch for when the ships come in". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMAS Leeuwin (A 245). |
- Bateman, Sam; Bergin, Anthony; Tsamenyi, Martin; Woolner, Derek (2006). "Integrated maritime enforcement and compliance in Australia". In Rothwell, Donald R. & VanderZwaag, David L. Towards principled oceans governance: Australian and Canadian approaches and challenges. Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-38378-3.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2008). Jane's Fighting Ships 2008–2009. Jane's Fighting Ships (111th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710628459. OCLC 225431774.
- Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591149552. OCLC 140283156.
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