Endurance 170 LHD/LHA
Endurance 170 design, a landing helicopter assault (LHA) ship that measures 170m long from ST Marine Singapore, and was first displayed at IMDEX Asia 2017. It is an evolution of the Endurance 160, of which a scale model was on display. Far more capable than the four-ship Endurance 140 LPD class currently operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), ST Marine said it had a 'potential customer' for the Endurance 170.
While the shipbuilder would not be drawn on who its client was, the RSN has been talking about it since 2014, of acquiring a larger Joint Multi-Mission Ship. There are five landing spots on the LHA's full-length 4,200m² flight deck, plus a below-deck hangar deck can accommodate ten medium-sized helicopters.
New Endurance 170 design Tan Ching Eng, senior vice president of ST Marine's engineering design center II, said, to save deployment time, helicopter rotor blades can be fully deployed before the aircraft ascends either from the LHA's two elevators. The Endurance 170 has a full load displacement of 19,000t, is 170m in length and 30.8m in width. Its ship crew numbers 140 plus 150 for the aircrew. It can also carry up to 400 troops. Maximum speed is listed as 20kt, its range is 7,000nm and an endurance of 30 days.
The well deck can accommodate four landing craft plus up to 17 tanks on the vehicle deck. Another deck can fit 16 30t armoured vehicles. A 1,000m² medical facility, with three operating theatres, ten intensive care unit beds and 17 ward beds, is integral to the design.
Weaponry being promulgated, dependent on customer preference, includes a 76mm gun, 30mm remote-control weapon systems, close-in weapon systems, and a vertical-launch missile system.
Based on the existing Endurance 160 design, the new vessel was designed as a multipurpose command and support ship for maritime operations. It can act as a command and logistic support vessel for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and search and rescue operations. The Endurance 170 LHD can also conduct amphibious operations and project power (troops and equipment) via ship to shore connectors or helicopters.
The design features 4,200 square meters of helicopter deck and 5 helicopter spots on the flat deck. The hangar deck measuring 2,050 square meters can accommodate up to 10 medium-size helicopters.
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