Bay class landing ship dock

The Bay class are a class of landing ship dock (LSD) operated by the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Together with the sclass|Albion|landing platform dock|0 they provide the Royal Navy with a significantly enhanced amphibious capability. In November 2006 the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said, "These ships represent a major uplift in the Royal Navy's war fighting capability." All four ships of the class are presently fully operational.

Characteristics

The Bay-class are based on the "Royal Schelde Enforcer" design, similar to Dutch and Spanish LSDs. They were at first classified as Alternative Landing Ship Logistics (ALSL), to replace the Round Table class Landing Ship (Logistics). However, they have been reclassified as Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) (LSD(A)), as they developed into a form very much more like an LSD, with a large flight deck aft and a docking well in the stern capable of operating a LCU Mk 10. The large flight deck can accommodate two Merlin or Chinook helicopters. The military lift includes the capacity to load and transport up to 32 Challenger 2 tanks, or 150 light trucks. They can carry a normal load of 356 troops, or overloaded with 500. They are designed to operate "Over the horizon" using helicopters and landing craft, to get men and equipment ashore.

Construction

"Largs Bay" and "Lyme Bay" were built by Swan Hunter on the River Tyne, whilst "Mounts Bay" and "Cardigan Bay" were built by BAE Systems Naval Ships at Govan on the River Clyde. On 13 July 2006 it was announced that, due to delays and cost over-runs, fitting out of "Lyme Bay" would be transferred to BAE Systems Naval Ships at Scotstoun. [cite web
url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/5175754.stm
title= "Yard blow as ship work switched"
date= 13 July 2006 | publisher= "BBC News"
accessdate= 2007-09-27 ] "Lyme Bay" arrived on the Clyde on July 22, 2006. [cite web
url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/5205152.stm
title= "Unfinished ship arrives on Clyde"
date= 22 July 2006 | publisher= "BBC News"
accessdate= 2007-09-27]

ervice

"Mounts Bay" was involved in the Vela Deployment in 2006. This was the first involvement of a Bay-class vessel in a Royal Navy Amphibious Task Group operation. After a service of dedication on 17 December 2006 "Largs Bay" joined "Mounts Bay" to become the second "Bay" class vessel active in the fleet. "Cardigan Bay" was commissioned 6 March 2007 and in mid-April 2007 sailed for "Operation Orion 07", a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean. The fourth and final ship of the class, "Lyme Bay" was handed over to the RFA on completion of sea trials on 2 August 2007.

(As of April 2008)
* is currently on counter-narcotics duties in the Caribbean, also ready to provide humanitarian assistance to British and foreign territories during the hurricane season.
* has recently completed "Operation Zest"; critical repairs to the harbour of Tristan da Cunha, a remote mid-Atlantic British territory.
* is on station in the Persian Gulf, supporting British and coalition units improving maritime security as part of "Operation Telic".

hips

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References

See also

* List of amphibious assault ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
* Royal Navy in the 21st Century

External links

* Satellite images of coordinates coord|55.866729|-4.323025|type:landmark show a Bay-class module being constructed at BAE Systems Naval Ships, Govan
* Satellite images of coordinates coord|55.88139|-4.368217|type:landmark show a Bay-class ship being fitted out at BAE Systems Naval Ships, Scotstoun
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