Bay-class landing ship

The Bay class landing ship dock holds ships have been designed as replacements for the ageing Round Table class (ship names beginning 'Sir') vessels. They were at first classified as Auxiliary Landing Ship Logistic (ALSL). However, they have been reclassified as Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) (LSD(A)), as they are closer in resemblance to the Albion class, with the superstructure fitted forward, and a large helicopter platform at the stern. In addition, instead of the roll on/roll off capability of the 'Sir' class, these ships will have a docking well in the stern capable of accommodating an LCU Mk 10. They will have capacity for an Embarked Military Force of 356, with an overload of 500. Similar in design to the Dutch warship "Rotterdam".

Specifications

• Displacement: 16,190 tonnes deep displacement.
• Dimensions: 176.6m length overall; 26.4m beam; 5.1m design draft.
• Speed: 18 knots
• Range: 8000 nautical miles at 15 knots.
• Engines: Diesel-Electric propulsion systems with 2 azimuthing thrusters and bow thruster. 4 main diesel generating sets - 2 x Wärtsilä 8L26 engines (2,240kW each), 2 x Wärtsilä 12V26 engines (3,360kW each). 1 auxiliary Wärtsilä standby diesel generating set. Dynamic positioning system
• Armament: None, but fitted to receive military weapons and self defence systems, including Phalanx CIWS.
• Complement: 59 crew
• Load: 356 troops; 1200 Linear metres of vehicles (e.g. 24 Challenger 2 MBT's or 150 light trucks); 12 x 40 TEU or 24 x 24 TEU containers, 2 Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP) Mk.5 and 1 Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk10; two Mexeflote powered rafts.
• Aircraft: Twin spot flight deck with limited facilities to transport and operate Merlin, Chinook and V22 Osprey.

See also

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