HMS Bulwark (L15)

HMS "Bulwark" is an "Albion"-class landing platform dock, the UK's newest class of amphibious assault warship and built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, UK. For numerous reasons, delays caused the delivery date to be put back, with the ship entering service in December 2004. Coupled with HMS "Albion" and HMS "Ocean", as well as other amphibious ships, it provides a much improved and potent amphibious capability for the Royal Navy.

The 64 metre flight deck is able to take two Sea King HC4 medium-lift helicopters and stow a third. The deck is also capable of supporting two CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, one down the side of the flight deck and one at the rear of the flight deck. Though the Albion design does not have a hangar, the ship does have sufficient equipment to support helicopter operations.

The ship also supports a permanently-embarked Marine landing craft unit, 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.

But the ship is not entirely centered around aircraft operations, more around operating many smaller boats for sending large amounts of troops to shore as quickly as possible. The rear of the Bulwark opens and floods a compartment allowing smaller boats inside to be launched.

ervice history

HMS "Bulwark" departed the UK in January 2006 for a six-month East of Suez maiden deployment. She conducted counter-terrorist and counter-piracy tasks in waters off the Horn of Africa. HMS "Bulwark" then headed for the northern Persian Gulf to become the flagship of Task Force 158, providing security for Iraqi oil platforms.

At the start of the summer of 2006 HMS "Bulwark" was near Spain. Due to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis, on 15 July 2006 she was ordered to divert to Lebanon and to support operations evacuating British citizens from the conflict area [cite news|title=UK warships heading for Lebanon|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-07-15|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5184018.stm] . On 20 July, she evacuated approximately 1,300 people from Beirut in the biggest British evacuation [cite news|title=Mass rescue for Lebanon Britons|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-07-20|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5197584.stm] . On completion of her extended deployment the ship returned to the United Kingdom. At the start of June 2007 HMS "Bulwark" was docked at Sunderland on the River Wear.

In October 2008 HMS "Bulwark" was at the Tail of the Bank in the Firth of Clyde together with HMS "Ark Royal" and the "Tonnerre", apparently taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior 2008, NW 082.

References

ee also

* List of amphibious warfare ships