Bay Class LPD
The Bay class is a ship class of four dock landing ships built for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) during the 2000s. They are 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 operates her as HMAS Choules.
| Type: | Landing ship dock |
|---|---|
| Displacement: | 16,160 tonnes (15,900 long tons; 17,810 short tons) |
| Length: | 579.4 ft (176.6 m) |
| Beam: | 86.6 ft (26.4 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) 2 × Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, 9,000 hp (6.7 MW) 2 × azimuthing thusters 1 × 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 & landing craft carried: |
1 × LCU or 2 × LCVP in well deck 2 × Mexeflote powered rafts |
| Capacity: | 1,150 linear metres (vehicles) 200 tons or 24 TEU (cargo) Troops: 356 (standard), 700 (overload) Crew: 70 (RFA, core only), 158 (RAN) |
| Armament: Fitted for: |
2 × 30mm DS30B cannon 2 × Phalanx CIWS 4 × 7.62mm Mk44 Miniguns 6 × 7.62mm L7 GPMG Individual outfit varies across class |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck for helicopters up to Chinook-size |
| Notes: | Derivative of the Enforcer ship design |
The problem with the Bay class is there is no hanger only a add on tent like addition and can really only operate one helo at a time. The DCP states the need to at least be able to carry and service as many helos or more than HMNZS Canterbury currently can. Which would mean major alterations to the stern area for a hanger and may even effect the way the ship handles at seakeeping if a large hanger was added.
The other thing I am unsure about, is while the Bay Class LPD will have a sick bay the DCP is also asking for it to have hospital facilities, HMNZS Canterbury has a five-bed hospital ward, a two-bed sickbay, an operating theatre, a medical laboratory, as well as a morgue. And reading between the lines and this is only speculation, My guess the DCP is asking for larger hospital facilities.
