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Landing platform dock RFA Largs Bay (L3006)

Landing platform dock RFA Largs Bay (L3006) 0Landing platform dock RFA Largs Bay (L3006) 1

Classification

Ship class:
Bay-class landing ship
Type:
Amphibious transport dock (LPD)

Basic information

Renaming:
  • After 2011 — HMAS Choules (L100)
Operator:
Royal Fleet AuxiliaryRoyal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Australian NavyRoyal Australian Navy
Country of build:
Builder:
Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson BAE Systems Surface Ships
Laid down:
Launched:
Commissioned (service):
Status:
Active
Fate:
Sold to Royal Australian Navy in April 2011

Ship measurements

Displacement:
16,160 t
Length:
176.6 m
Beam:
26.4 m
Draft:
5.8 m

Machine

Propulsion:
  • 2 * Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, 6,000 hp (4.5 MW)
  • 2 * Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
  • 2 * azimuthing thrusters
  • 1 * bow thruster
Speed:
18 knots
Range:
8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)

Personnel

Complement:
70
Embarked units:
356
Total capacity:
700

Combat assets

Cargo capacity:
  • 1,150 linear metres of vehicles (up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks, 32 M1A1 Abrams tanks, or 150 light trucks)
  • Cargo capacity of 200 tons ammunition or 24 TEU containers
Boats & landing craft:
  • 1 * LCU Mark 10
  • 1 * LCM-8 or 2 * LCVPs (Royal Marines version or RAN version)
  • 2 * Mexeflote powered rafts
Electronics:
  • EID ICCS integrated communications control system
Armament:
  • 1 * Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft:
  • Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters frequently embarked; flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size
  • No permanent hangar; temporary hangar can be fitted

HMAS Choules (L100) is a Bay-class landing ship that served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) from 2006 to 2011, before being purchased by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The vessel was built as RFA Largs Bay by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. She was named after Largs Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland, and entered service in November 2006. During her career with the RFA, Largs Bay served as the British ship assigned to patrol the Falkland Islands in 2008, and delivered relief supplies following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

At the end of 2010, Largs Bay was marked as one of the vessels to be removed from service under the Strategic Defence and Security Review. She was offered for sale, with the RAN announced as the successful bidder in April 2011. After modifications to make her more suited for Australian operating conditions, the vessel was commissioned in December 2011 as HMAS Choules, named after Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules. A propulsion transformer failure kept the ship out of service between July 2012 and April 2013.

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