Keel Laid for First Australian LHD Ship

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Amphibious Ships Official Keel Laying Ceremony
AUSTRALIA - 24 SEPTEMBER 2009

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, today announced that the official keel laying of Australia’s first Amphibious Ship (LHD 01) took place overnight at Navantia’s shipbuilding yard in Ferrol, Spain.

“Under Project JP2048 Phase 4A/B the Commonwealth is acquiring two new Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious ships to provide sustainment support for our deployed forces,” said Mr Combet.

BAE Systems Australia Defence is the prime contractor for this $3.3 billion project. The Spanish shipbuilder Navantia is subcontracted to BAE as the design authority and is required to construct and fit out the hulls of two large Amphibious Ships for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

“The project is on schedule with the ceremony for the keel laying of the hull for LHD 01 occurring exactly one year to the day from first steel being cut. I am also advised that the whole of ship design reviews are nearing completion,” said Mr Combet.

“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.”

The next milestone will be the launch of LHD 01 in Spain in March 2011 and then the arrival of it at Williamstown dockyard in 2012 with LHD 02 arriving in 2014.

“As outlined in the Government’s White Paper, these ships will be able to carry a substantial quantity of equipment, stores and personnel. In terms of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, they will most likely be the best means available to provide assistance in our region,” said Mr Combet.

Source: Australian Department of Defence


Australia’s Canberra Class LHDs - Concept

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Amphibious Warship Construction Update
AUSTRALIA - 27 JANUARY 2010

MELBOURNE, Australia --- Prime contractor BAE Systems today confirmed that construction of the first of Australia’s two new Canberra Class amphibious warships, Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) 01, was progressing well.

Graeme Ormiston, the project’s General Manager, said today that work in Spain was well advanced with main subcontractor Navantia having started construction on 79 of the 105 blocks that will make up the hull platform (up to the flight deck) of each of the 27,000 tonne LHDs.

Mr Ormiston said that production at Navantia’s Ferrol and Fene shipyards began on schedule in September 2008, with the keel laying ceremony for LHD 01 taking place at Ferrol exactly a year later as planned.

“The build strategy requires that each of the 105 blocks, each weighing more than 100 tonnes, have all steelwork completed, painted and outfit maximised before transfer to the Ferrol slipway.

“The build program is progressing well with 13 blocks erected on the slipway so far and a further 66 blocks in various stages of construction.

“Two major shipbuilding milestones have been achieved on time in the last two months with levels of completeness in excess of the required 85 per cent,” Mr Ormiston said.

Ship launch for LHD 01 is scheduled for March 2011 with arrival at Williamstown in 2012.

Mr Ormiston said that Australian manufacturing work to build the superstructures and mast blocks, and then integrate these with the warships, was scheduled to commence at the company’s Williamstown shipyard in Victoria in the second half of 2010.

“Work has already begun on the refurbishment and expansion of key facilities and equipment at Williamstown that will be needed to accommodate these huge ships, including provision for a ground based slipway crane needed to lift blocks of up to 250 tonnes onto the hulls.”

Mr Ormiston said the critical Whole of Ship Design Review phase of the project had also been finalised in December 2009.
“The Design Review program carried out last year, with nine preliminary and detailed reviews taking in place in 12 months culminated in the Whole of Ship DDR, marking another significant milestone towards completion of this historic project,” he said.

BAE Systems is the prime and Mission System Integrator for the LHDs under Joint Project 2048 Phase 4A/4B. Sub-contractors include:

-- Navantia - ship designer;
-- SAAB - Combat System, Combat Management System and the Saab Microwave AMB Radar design;
-- L3 Communications - design and supply of the communications systems;
-- Northrop Grumman Overseas Service Corporation (Sperry Marine) – Combat Navigation System;
-- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd – Gun and Electro-Optical Sight (EOS) system;
-- Sagem Défense Sécurité (Sagem) – Infrared Search and Track (IRST) System, and
-- Argon ST Inc – Torpedo Decoy System.

The ships are due to be taken through acceptance into service by the Royal Australian Navy from January 2014 (LHD 01) and August 2015 (LHD 02).


Source: BAE Systems


Concept Image: Royal Australian Navy Canberra Class amphibious assault ships



Main characteristics of these ships are:
- Length overall: 230.82 m
- Maximum breath: 32 m
- Height to flight deck: 27.5 m
- Design draught: 7.18 m
- Speed at full load: 20.5 knots
- Range: + than 6.000 nm
- Crew: 243 people (+ 36 additional)
- Embarked forces: 978 people (+146 additional)

As far as the ship’s cargo capacity is concerned, worth noting among other aspects is that it has a 990 sq. m. hangar, a 1,165 sq. m. dock, a 4,750 sq. m. flight deck and 3,290 sq. m. of garage space.

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First Steel Cut for Second Australian LHD
AUSTRALIA - 2 FEBRUARY 2010

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science today announced that Navantia of Spain has commenced construction of Australia’s second Landing Helicopter Dock hull (LHD 02) at Navantia’s shipbuilding yard in Ferrol, Spain.

“This is a great achievement with the steel being cut by Navantia 7 weeks ahead of schedule,” said Mr Combet.
“The Commonwealth has contracted BAE Systems Australia to provide two large Amphibious Ships (LHDs) that will form part of the ADF’s broader amphibious deployment and sustainment system.

“Under the project the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia is the design authority and is subcontracted to BAE Systems Australia to construct and fit out the hulls of two large Amphibious Ships for the ADF.

“I am pleased to report that the LHD project is on schedule, with whole of ship design reviews completed and the keel laying of LHD 01 taking place exactly one year to the day from first steel being cut.

“After completion of LHD 01 and 02, both hulls will be transported to Australia.”

The superstructures will then be constructed, fitted out and integrated with the hulls at BAE Systems Australia’s Williamstown dockyard.

“Once the hull arrives at Williamstown dockyard, the combat system will be installed by SAAB Systems Australia, which will also integrate the combat management system. The communications system will be supplied by L-3 Communications,” said Mr Combet.

The next milestone will be the launch of LHD 01 in Spain in March 2011. LHD 01 will arrive at Williamstown dockyard in 2012, with LHD 02 arriving in 2014.


Source: Australian Department of Defence