Future Joint Support Ships
Posted: 24 Oct 2019 12:03
At the Pacific 2019 maritime expo I learned that Navantia were pitching a locally modified version of the Spanish Navy's Galicia class (and the Dutch Navy's Rotterdam class) landing platform dock ships for an emerging RAN requirement for 1 or 2 Joint Support Ships.
They aren't small ships, some 14,000 tonnes, 176 metres in length and a beam of 25 metres, maximum speed in 20 knots and a range of around 6,000 nautical miles.
They will have a vehicle deck for Army's vehicles, a flooding well deck to allow the ships landing craft to transport said vehicles ashore, a flight deck and hangars for two Taipan transport helicopters and room for some 300 troops on deployment. The similar sized Galicia class can accommodate 130 APCs or 33 MBTs, though Army's Abrams tanks and the new Boxer armoured recon vehicles / APCs are bigger than their counterparts used by the Spanish marines.
The well deck can launch and recover two LCM-1E large landing craft. Navantia Australia is hopeful to keep the crew size below 160 sailors. The JSS comes with full medical facilities (dental, X-ray, operating rooms, critical unit intensive care ward etc…). One interesting addition is that this design is fitted with a single Replenishment At Sea kingpost on each side. The JSS design combines 70% of the load capacity of HMAS Choules LPD and 70% of the fuel capacity of the now decommissioned HMAS Success, including 600 tons marine diesel capacity, 600 tons of aviation fuel and 400 tons of fresh water.
Not quite sure what these ships mean for Chules. Chules is slightly larger with no hangar, no replenishment capability and no hospital. It is possible that the arrival of these new ships will allow Choules to be re-roled into the Pacific Support Ship that was proposed earlier this year, travelling round the South Pacific, working with local governments and military forces on operations to assist local communities. Choules has been doing some of that this year.
They aren't small ships, some 14,000 tonnes, 176 metres in length and a beam of 25 metres, maximum speed in 20 knots and a range of around 6,000 nautical miles.
They will have a vehicle deck for Army's vehicles, a flooding well deck to allow the ships landing craft to transport said vehicles ashore, a flight deck and hangars for two Taipan transport helicopters and room for some 300 troops on deployment. The similar sized Galicia class can accommodate 130 APCs or 33 MBTs, though Army's Abrams tanks and the new Boxer armoured recon vehicles / APCs are bigger than their counterparts used by the Spanish marines.
The well deck can launch and recover two LCM-1E large landing craft. Navantia Australia is hopeful to keep the crew size below 160 sailors. The JSS comes with full medical facilities (dental, X-ray, operating rooms, critical unit intensive care ward etc…). One interesting addition is that this design is fitted with a single Replenishment At Sea kingpost on each side. The JSS design combines 70% of the load capacity of HMAS Choules LPD and 70% of the fuel capacity of the now decommissioned HMAS Success, including 600 tons marine diesel capacity, 600 tons of aviation fuel and 400 tons of fresh water.
Not quite sure what these ships mean for Chules. Chules is slightly larger with no hangar, no replenishment capability and no hospital. It is possible that the arrival of these new ships will allow Choules to be re-roled into the Pacific Support Ship that was proposed earlier this year, travelling round the South Pacific, working with local governments and military forces on operations to assist local communities. Choules has been doing some of that this year.
