HMAS Canberra 3

Canberra Class LHD

The Canberra class Landing Helicopter Dock are new amphibious assault ships being developed for the Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Government has approved a AU$3 billion project to build two LHDs, which will have air support, amphibious assault, transport and command centre roles. They are planned to replace in turn HMAS Tobruk and one of the RAN's two current Kanimbla class vessels.

General Information

The Australian government's requirements include the capacity to transport up to 1,000 troops and 150 vehicles, including the new M1A1 Abrams tank in service with the Australian Army, have six helicopter spots on a full length flight deck for a mix of both transport and battlefield support helicopters, and a fully equipped hospital. On 20 January 2006, it was announced that the two ships would be named Canberra and Adelaide.[2]

In August 2005, the government chose two designs to participate in a run off.[3] The first was a modified version of the French Mistral class, which was proposed by the French company Armaris. The second design was based on the Spanish Buque de Proyección Estratégica design, proposed by the Spanish company Navantia.[4] The Navantia design was larger, at approximately 27,000 tonnes gross displacement, but the first unit for the Spanish Navy had only just started construction, making it an unknown quantity in terms of capability. By contrast, the French design was smaller, at approximately 24,000 tonnes, but had entered service with the French Navy.

In June 2007, the Australian Minister for Defence announced that Tenix Defence was the preferred tenderer for the construction of the two large amphibious landing ships at a cost of $3 billion. The ships are due to enter service from 2013. Tenix had proposed to build the Navantia design in partnership with the Spanish company.

The Australian Government stated that around 25 percent of the value of the project would involve work in Australia. This would be largely limited to construction of the superstructures of the two ships in Tenix's (now BAE Systems') shipyard in Williamstown, Victoria, with some systems work done in South Australia. Consolidation of the two ships and systems integration would occur in Williamstown. To allow work to be done at Williamstown, financial support has been provided by the State Government of Victoria "to prepare the Williamstown shipyard to participate in future projects such as AWD module construction and the large amphibious ships project. The Government is also supporting a skills training program for these projects."

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LHD Characteristics

The largest ships ever built for the Royal Australian Navy, the LHDs (Amphibious Assault Ship) are being built as a collaboration between Navantia and BAE Systems - Maritime.

The construction is being done using the modular approach whereby the ship is divided into modules, which are built and fitted out as discrete units, before being welded together to form the completed ship. This allows the ship to be built at a number of different sites across the shipyard before being brought together for final joining.

Construction of the hull to the level of the flight deck, including the majority of fitting out will be undertaken at Navantia's Ferrol-Fene shipyard in north-west Spain. The hull will then be shipped to BAES' Williamstown shipyard in Victoria for the installation of the island structure. The island modules will be constructed at a number of sites around Australian before being moved to Williamstown for final installation on the flight deck.

The ship's roles are to:

embark, transport and deploy an embarked force (Army in the case of the ADF but could equally be an allied Army or Marines), along with their equipment and aviation units, and
carry out/support humanitarian missions.
Therefore the requirement is for a multipurpose ship able to operate in both these roles, but not necessarily simultaneously, owing to the differing configuration requirements.

The first LHD, named HMAS Canberra, is due to be commissioned in January 2014 and the second ship, HMAS Adelaide, is planned to commission in June 2015.

The ship is a conventional steel mono hull design with the superstructure located on the starboard side of the flight deck. There are four main decks: the Well Dock and Heavy Vehicle Deck for heavy vehicles and/or cargo; Main Accommodation Deck, including the Primary Casualty Reception Facility (PCRF); Hangar and Light Vehicle Deck for light weight vehicles and cargo; and the Flight Deck.

The LHD has been designed with the shallowest possible draft to allow her to operate in secondary ports and harbours as well as manoeuvre tactically in the shallow waters common in the littoral regions. Maximum speed is in excess of 20kn with a range of 6,000nm, a sustained maximum speed of 19kn under full-load conditions and an economic cruising speed of 15kn with a range of 9,000nm. She can also reverse with full directional control at up to 8kn.

The LHD has a stern ramp/door that provides access to the well dock for landing craft and vehicles along with a fixed ramp (steel beach) between the well dock and the heavy vehicle/cargo deck (1410m2). Additionally two lateral ramp doors are located on the starboard side and provide wharf access to the heavy vehicle/cargo deck for vehicles up to 65T. Vehicular access between the heavy and light vehicle decks is achieved via a fixed ramp located on the port side.

The well dock is 69.3m long and 16.8m wide (1165m2) and the LHD will normally carry four LCM 1E. An additional four RHIBs can be carried behind the LCM 1Es, however this will be mission dependant rather than a normal load out. The well dock has been designed to handle water craft of allied nations, including LCUs, amphibious vehicles and LCACs.

The main accommodation deck is located above the well dock and heavy vehicle/cargo deck and includes crew accommodation, mess decks, medical spaces, galley facilities, office spaces, and recreation rooms. Accommodation is provided for 1400 personnel; approximately 400 ship’s company including the watercraft and flight deck crews and 1000 embarked force personnel including the PCRF, embarked flight, HQ staff and landing force. The LHD will be jointly crewed with personnel from Navy, Army and the Air Force forming the ship’s company.

The LHD's flight deck is 202.3m long and 32m wide (4750m2), allowing the ship to operate a range of ADF rotary wing aircraft including:

NRH-90 helicopter
CH-47 Chinook helicopter
Blackhawk helicopter
Seahawk
ARH
Future Navy Aviation Combat System (Seahawk replacement).

Spanish LHD, SPS Juan Carlos I, alongside the Spanish Carrier, SPS Principe de Asturias. The RAN’s LHD is based on the SPS Juan Carlos I.
The flight deck has been configured with six spots on the port side for medium sized aircraft such as the NRH 90 or Blackhawk, which allows for simultaneous take off and landing operations; alternatively it can support simultaneous take off and landing operations of four CH-47 Chinooks.

There are two aircraft elevators – one aft of the flight deck and one fwd of the island on the stbd side - that can accommodate medium sized helicopters, with the after one able to accommodate larger helicopters such as CH 47. Both aircraft elevators service the hangar and light vehicle/cargo deck and the fwd elevator is dual roled for stores and personnel.

Between the flight deck and the accommodation deck is a contiguous hangar and light vehicle deck; the hanger (990m2) occupying the after section of the deck whilst the light vehicle deck (1880m2) is located on the forward section of the deck. The hanger can accommodate up to 8 medium sized helicopters with 18 medium sized helicopters able to be accommodated if the light vehicle deck is also used.

There is a cargo lift that can be used to transfer 20-foot ISO containers and vehicles up to a weight of 16 tonnes between the heavy and light vehicle decks. There are also lifts for ammunition, provisions and casualties. Up to 110 vehicles, depending on the size and configuration, can be loaded across the two vehicles decks

The Command and Control (C2) and Combat Systems will consist of:

Combat Management System
Extensive ICT infrastructure to support the ADF’s Command Support Systems and provide C2 capability for the embarked force
3D Air Search Radar
Helicopter Control and Surface Radar
Navigation Radar
IFF capability, including Mode S
ESM/ECM Suite
Integrated communications system (internal and external), including a Message Handling System, Link 11 and 16, civil and military Satellite Communications
Electro Optical and IR surveillance systems
Integrated Navigation System, including an integrated bridge, navigation sensors, AIS and WECDIS.

The LHD will be fitted with a number of defensive systems including:

Anti-Torpedo Towed Defense System (Nixie)
Four 20 mm automated guns
6 x 12.7 mm machine guns
Active missile decoy system – Nulka (weight and space reserve)
Major Statistics
Length Overall 230.82m
Moulded Beam 32.00m
Beam Waterline 29.50m
Flight Deck height 27.50m
Draft at Full Load Displacement 7.08m
Full Load Displacement 27,500 tonnes
The LHD utilises an electric drive system similar to that used by major cruise companies such as Cunard.

The propulsion/generating plant includes the following main elements:

One gas turbine (LM 2500) turbo generator of 19,160kW
Two MAN 16V32/40 diesel generators of 7,448 kW each
Two Siemens azimuth POD units of 11.0 MW each fitted with two propellers of approx 4.5m diameter
Two bow thrusters of 1,500kW each
One Progener-Mitsubishi S16MPTA emergency diesel generator of 1,350kW

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You Tube Video of HMAS Canberra 3

LHD "Canberra Class", built by NAVANTIA & BAE SYSTEMS for the Royal Australian Navy. The first LHD, named HMAS Canberra, is due to be commissioned in January 2014 and the second ship, HMAS Adelaide, is planned to commission in June 2015.

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HMAS Canberra

Avatars train on Navy's future ship

Saturday, 11 June 2011

Korena Flanagan

Sailors will be able to use 3-D avatars to train on ships that are currently under construction thanks to cutting edge simulation technology being used in Australia.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare visited KBR in Canberra to see first hand a demonstration of the virtual Landing Helicopter Dock Ship (LHD), created using CryEngine® 3 -- software developed for computer games.

KBR have been contracted by Defence to create the interactive, three-dimensional replica of the first LHD scheduled to be delivered in the middle of the decade – HMAS Canberra.

Up to 100 personnel at any one time can use this virtual ship to participate in simulated exercises and emergency response scenarios from all over the country without having to be in the same location.

“This is like Play Station with a purpose,” Mr Clare said.

“KBR have combined gaming technology and the plans of the LHDs to create a state-of-the-art 3-D model of the Navy ship currently under construction.”

Mr Clare said innovations like this virtual ship represented the future of military training.

“These LHDs are different to any ship the Navy has ever sailed and this simulation gives sailors a head-start on training to operate the ship.

“It means our sailors can start learning how to operate these new ships years before they begin operations.

“Helicopter pilots can land a virtual helicopter and Navy engineers can train on the ship’s virtual engines.

“The level of detail is incredible -- sailors can even find the bunk they’ll sleep in on board.

“This can save time and money in the training and operation of these ships.”

The hull of the first LHD was launched in February in Spain where it is being constructed by Navantia.

The hull of the first ship will arrive in Melbourne next year for further work to be completed at the Williamstown Shipyard before it becomes operational in late 2014. Australia’s second LHD will become operational the following year.

The LHDs will be the largest ships the Navy has ever operated, eclipsing Australia’s last aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne.

Each ship is 230 metres long and can carry a combined armed battlegroup of more than 1000 personnel, 100 armoured vehicles and 12 helicopters. They also include a 40-bed hospital.

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HMAS Canberra 3 - Launched 17 Feb 2011

LHD launch paves the way for amphibious transformation

18 February 2011

The hull of the first of the Royal Australian Navy’s two new amphibious ships has been launched in Spain, heralding a new era for Australia’s amphibious capability.

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane, led the launch and said the event was enormously significant.

“These ships are officially known as Landing Helicopter Docks or LHDs and are the largest the Australian Navy has ever owned,” Vice Admiral Crane said.

LHD01's hull launch was held at the Navantia dockyards at Ferrol in northern Spain; the event having a distinct Australian feel as children of Australian diplomats joined the official delegation waving Australian flags.

A Canberra regional sparkling wine was broken over the Canberra Class ship’s hull.

Vicki Coates, wife of the late Rear Admiral Nigel Coates who commanded the previous HMAS Canberra, was the ‘launch lady’.

Vice Admiral Crane said with a new generation in technology would come a new way of thinking in terms of how Navy would operate and crew this new capability.

“We are well progressed in our planning for the LHD arrival,” he said.

“I am confident we will have the people and the knowhow by the time the first LHD comes on line.

“Most importantly, for now, this project is on time and on budget.”

Both ships will be based at Garden Island in Sydney.

Crewed by all three services, the LHD will mark a significant strengthening of the ADF’s amphibious capability and tri-service culture.

First of class, HMAS Canberra (LHD01) will arrive in Victoria next year where it will be fitted out before being accepted into service in 2014 with sister ship HMAS Adelaide (LHD02) to follow the year after.

HMAS Canberra 3 Launching

Royal Australian Navy Video of HMAS Canberra 3 Launch released 18 Feb 2011.

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Royal Australian Navy Launching Images

The launch of LHD 1's hull was held at the Navantia dockyards at Ferrol in northern Spain. The event had a distinctly Australian feel with the children of Australian diplomats in Spain joining the official delegation, waving Australian flags. A Canberra regional sparkling wine was broken over the Canberra Class ship’s hull. Vicki Coates, wife of the late Rear Admiral Nigel Coates was the “launch lady”. Rear Admiral Coates commanded the previous HMAS Canberra 2.

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On 24 September 2009 a keel laying ceremony took place for LHD 01 vessel at the Navantia shipbuilding yard, Ferrol, Spain. The Minister announced that

After completion of the hulls for the Amphibious Ships they will be transported to Australia. The superstructures will then be constructed, fitted out and integrated with the hulls at BAE Systems’ Williamstown dockyard. The combat system is to be provided by Saab Systems Australia, which will also integrate the combat management system; and the communications system will be supplied by L-3 Communications.[6]

The launch of LHD 01 will be in Spain during March 2011, with expected arrival at Williamstown dockyard in 2012. LHD 02 hull is expected to arrive in 2014.