My, that is a big un! H.M.A.S Canberra, L.H.D 02, is being commissioned into the Royal Aussie Navy tomorrow. At around 230 metres its actually, a tad longer than the old ex-Brit aircraft carriers the R.A.N used to have, making it the biggest ship the R.A.N has ever had. Its not hugely well armed as such things go, no built in missile capability or B.F.Gs, though it does mount 4 x 25 mm Rafael Typhoon cannons and 6 x 12.7 mm machine guns, so no, your average contemporary pirate is not just going to be able to just waltz off with it now that its crewed and operational. Its got some useful anti-torpedo and anti-missile decoys as well to divert frightfulness from itself. Of course, this is the kind of big, vulnerable ship thats really intended to travel in company with more heavily armed escort warships (the upcoming Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers and the R.A.Ns existing Frigates) plus fighter cover provided by the R.A.A.Fs land based squadrons or Carrier borne planes flown by allies. As an Amphibious Assault Vessel/ Landing Helicopter Dock her main mission is to carry lots of stuff places and have the ability to deploy it. Helicopters, troops, amphibious landing craft, supplies, trucks, and armoured fighting vehicles including personnel carriers and...tanks. (Youre welcome!) Yes, it looks like an aircraft carrier, especially with the ski-jump ramp the flight deck at the bow, which was a feature of the Spanish Assault Carrier design this ship is derived from. (The hull was built in Spain.) No, its not intended to carry fixed-wing attack aircraft, though in a pinch it could probably play host to Vertical/Short Take-Off And Landing planes like the famous British Harriers. (The Juan Carlos 1, the Spanish version, flies harriers.) But then, you can operate those off any flat deck, including converted container vessels. The ski-jump ramp might make it easier for heavily laden helos to waddle into the air too, it saves fuel if you dont have to do a straight vertical lift. (Our frequently overwrought Defence Minister has muttered about the ship someday flying S.T.O.L/V.T.O.L fighters, even if its only as a cross deck platform for allied navies during multinational exercises/missions.) Canberra has the now standard capability of being able to flood the boat well at the aft end of the ship so that vehicle and troop landing craft (she carries four) can motor right inside for comfy loading, without any of that tedious clambering down nets that you see in W.W.2 movies. Along with the sister ship, H.M.A.S Adelaide (still being fitted out over at Williamstown) supplementing the other two older heavy lift ships the R.A.N already has (Tobruk and Choules) Canberra is a major addition to Australias fleet. By the way, in the linked story below, dont you just love the way the jaunty angle that the reporter wears his ignorance of even the most basic nautical terms? If only all news was reported, all the time, in such a wacky way. What a jolly jape, Sir! theage.au/…/all-aboard-the-hmas-canberra-the…
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 22:10:28 +0000
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