13.12.2011
Text:
Photo: Landing ship HMAS
Canberra.
Recall that Australian Navy tied a $3-bln contract for two prospective helicopter carriers with
Navantia in 2007. The hulls are built by
Navantia, bridges – by
BAE Systems at
Williamstown Shipyard in Melbourne; ship assembling will be also carried out by
BAE Systems.
At the moment,
Navantia has constructed all 105 sections of
Canberra's hull, launched her, and conducts finishing works including assemblage of medical compartment, living accommodations, and store rooms. The hull is expected to leave Spain on heavy transport ship in July 2012 and arrive in Melbourne in Aug 2012.
Four bridges and 3 mast elements of HMAS
Canberra have been built at
Williamstown Shipyard since June 2011. The hull-to-island attachment is scheduled in the end of 2012.
Kiel for HMAS
Adelaide was laid down in Feb 2011. By now, 60 out of 105 sections have been mounted on the slipway, 27 are under construction, and 18 are being painted before putting on the slipway. The ship is expected to be launched in third quarter of 2012.
Over 400,000 working hours were spent on the ships' construction in Australia.
Canberra-class landing ships will be the largest warships ever operated by Australian Navy. Displacement is 27,851 tons; length is 230.8 meters; beam is 32 meters; draft is 7.18 meters; speed is 20.5 knots; crew is 243 men (max 279 men), troop capacity is 978 men (max 1,124 men); deck capacity is 3,290 sq meters (up to 100 armored vehicles), helicopter hangar capacity is 990 square meters; air wing is 12-24 helicopters; armament is 4 x 25-mm deck-based stabilized gun mounts.
