Australia

Melbourne (ex UK Majestic) CVL

Displacement: 20250 tons (full load)
Dimensions: overall length 210m ; beam 24.6m; draught 7.2m.
Aviation: max 42 aircraft; typical 4 A-4G Skyhawk, 6 S-2E Tracker, 10 Mk.31 Wessex
Armament: 4 x 3pdr; 12 x 40mm quad Bofors
Propulsion: 2 shafts; 2 steam turbines, 40000shp; 25 kts
Description: Construction started on what was to be HMS Majestic in 1943. The end of the Second World War saw work suspended until she was sold to Australia in 1949. Completed and commissioned into the RAN in 1955, she sailed for Australia the following year and became the RAN  flagship. She operated an airgroup of De HavilandSea Venom figthers and Fairy Gannet ASW aircraft. In 1963 Mk.31 Westland Wessex helicopters were embarked. After 1969 the Sea Venoms and Gannets were replaced by Douglas A-4G Skyhawks and ???? S-2E Trackers respectively. Flying operations ceased in 1980 and she was decommissioned in 1982. Plans to purchase  a replacement  were abandoned  after a change of Government in 1983.
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R 21 Melbourne (1980->82/Austral)

Adelaide FFG (Oliver Hazard Perry FFG)

Displacement: 3900 tons
Dimensions: overall length 138.8m (long hull); beam 13.7m; draught 5.8m.
Aircraft: one/two Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter
Armament: one Mk 13 launcher for Harpoon SSM and Standard SM 1MR SAM; one 76mm Mk 75 gun; one 20mm Mk 15 CIWS; six 324mm ASW torpedo tubes.
Propulsion: two GE LM-2500 gas turbines; 29kts
Description: Built to the US Oliver Hazard Perry class design these six vessels are the most capable vessels in the Australian surface fleet following the retirement of the Perth class DDGs. The first four vessels were built in the US while the final pair were built locally in Australia. Planned upgrades include the fitting of and eight cell VLS for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) SAMs, upgrading the missile fire control, upgrading the main air search radar, new EW systems and a new hull sonar. These modifications will increase the displacement to 4200 tons. The decision was taken in 2004 to upgrade the Mk 13 to enable the use of SM 2 SAMs a second director will be added to support this. This upgrade will only be applied to the four later ships with Adelaide and Canberra being retired as an economy measure.
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ANZAC FFH

Displacement: 3,600 tons
Dimensions: 118m length; 14.4m beam; 4.4m draught
Aviation: aft helicopter deck and hangar; 1 SH-2G(A) Seasprite
Armament: 1 Mk 41 VLS for 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (ESSM when available), 1
127mm/54 Mk45 DP gun, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes, 2 12.7 mm MG
Propulsion: 2 shaft: 2 cruise diesels, 8,840 bhp, 18 knots;
1 LM2500 boost turbine, 30,000 shp, 28 knots
Description: A joint Australian and New Zealand development of the Meko 200 design. Australia will operate eight. Plans are to fit vessels with 2 Mk 141 quad launchers for Harpoon SSMs from 2003 and the quad packed ESSM will replace Sea Sparrow when available. Nulka hovering decoys are also to be installed. Plans for an extensive upgrade (Warfighting Improvement Project) were abandoned. This would have added a larger VLS and new radar and other equipment.
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River DE

Displacement: 2,700 tons
Dimensions: 112.1m length; 12.4m beam; 4.5m draught
Armament: 2 x 4.5" gun (twin); Seacat SAM; Ikara ASW missile system; Squid triple barreled AS mortar
Propulsion: 2 shaft: 2 steam turbines, 30000shp, 30 knots;
Description: The first four of these vessels of this group were built to a modified UK Type 12 design. Six vessles were originally planned but only four were built. After the loss of the destroyer HMAS Voyager in a collision with the carrier Melbourne in 1964 it was decided to build a further two vesslels to a slightly different design, essentially the UK Leander type.
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Freemantle Patrol Boats

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Huon (mod Gaeta) MHC minehunters

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Kanimbla LPA

Displacement: 8,700+ tons full load
Dimensions: 159.2m length; 21.8m beam; 5.3m draught
Aviation: fore and aft helicopter deck and aft hangar; 4 S-70 Helicopters or 3 Sea King Mk 50
Troops: 450
Armament: 4 x 12.7 mm MG
Propulsion: 6 diesels, 2 shafts, 16,500 bhp, 20 knots
Description:

The HMAS Manoora and HMAS Kanimbla were originally built for the United States Navy as Newport News class LST's and acquired by the Royal Australian Navy in 1994. Both ships have undergone extensive modifications for their new roles as helicopter capable amphibious transports.

Their primary roles are to transport, lodge ashore and support an Army contingent of 450 troops, their vehicles and equipment. Kanimbla and Manoora are fitted with helicopter hangers capable of supporting up to four Army Blackhawk or three of the larger Navy Seaking helicopters. Two helicopters can operate simultaneously from the aft flight deck, while a third can operate from the flight deck located forward of the bridge.

Two Army LCM8 landing craft can also be carried on the forward flight deck to provide ship to shore transport. They are lifted on and off by a 70 tonned crane. Accessed through a stern door, 810 square metres of storage space is available on the vehicle deck for Army vehicles and other large items of equipment.

For Army and Navy exercises the ships have additional operations and planning rooms that provide for both an Amphibious Group Commander and a Landing Force Commander. A comprehensive and modern array of communications equipment is fitted to support these joint operations.

Both ships are fitted with the largest and most comprehensive medical facilities in the fleet.

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L 51 Kanimbla (1994/Aussie)

Tobruk LSH

Displacement: 6,000 tons full load
Dimensions: 129.5m length; 19.6m beam; 4.3m draught
Aviation: aft helicopter deck;
Troops: 300-500
Armament: 2 x 40mm
Propulsion: 2 diesels, 2 shafts; 9,600 bhp; 17 knots
Description: A heavy landing ship specially built for the RAN to a modified UK design. Essentially the ship is a multi purpose troop and roll-on / roll-off, heavy vehcile carrier. The design includes facilities for bow and stern loading, a drive through capacity and inter-deck transfers via ramps. It is capable of transporting 18 Leopard Main Battle Tanks in the Tank Deck and 40 Armoured Personnel Carriers on the Vehicle Deck. The Vehicle Deck has been reinforced to enable the transportation of two Landing Craft Mechanical-8 (LCM-8) on specially designed cradles. In addition, davits on either side of the superstructure secure two Landing Craft Vehicular Personnel (LCVP).

There are also facilites for helicopter and landing craft operations and a 70-ton capacity derrick. The upper deck forward of the bridge and the after deck can serve as helicopter flight decks. Up to two Seaking helicopters can be embarked.

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L 50 Tobruk (1981/Aussie)

Jervis Bay catamaran fast transport

Displacement: 380 tons
Dimensions: 86m length; 19.6m beam; 4.3m draught
Aviation: aft helicopter deck;
Troops: 500
Armament:
Propulsion: 4 diesels, 4 waterjets; 38000bhp; 45 knots
Description: Jervis Bay is a high speed catamaran ferry leased from INCAT in 1999 for twelve months and used to support the ADF Commitment in East Timor in 1999/2000. In civilian guise she can carry around 900 passengers and up to 240 cars. In ADF service she transported 500 fully equiped troops and vehicles up to the size of the ASLAV light armoured vehicle.
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Balikpapan LCH

Displacement: 503 tons full load
Dimensions: 44.5m length; 10.1m beam; 1.9m draught
Aviation: aft helicopter deck and hangar;
Armament: 2 x 7.62 mm MG
Propulsion: 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 675 bhp, 9 knots
Description: The LCH is an all-welded twin-screw vessel, able to trans-ship cargo and supplies from ships lying offshore to water terminals or across the beach. Maximum cargo load is governed by the load-fuel balance and varies between 140 and 180 tonnes. A typical load of 175 tonnes gives the LCH a range of 1300 nautical miles, increasing to 2280 nautical miles for a load of 150 tonnes.

Usual Army equipment lift can comprise three battle tanks, twenty-three quarter-tonne trucks or thirteen armored personnel carriers.

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Success (Durance) AOR

Displacement: 17,933 tons full load
Dimensions: 157.3m length; 21.2m beam; 10.8m draught
Aviation: aft helicopter deck
Armament: 2 x Phalanx CIWS, 3 x 40 mm, 4 x 12.7 mm MG
Propulsion: 2 diesels, 1 shaft, 20,000 bhp, 18 knots
Description: Based on the French 'DURANCE' Class Success was built in Australia by Cockatoo Dockyard Pty Ltd at Sydney. She was launched from their slipway on 3 March 1984 by her Launching Lady, Her Excellency Lady Stephen, wife of the Governor General and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 23 April 1986. She is the largest ship built in Australia for the RAN and also the largest ever built in the port of Sydney.

One of two RAN Replenishment Ships, HMAS SUCCESS has the capability to provide fuel (F76 dieso, F44 avcat), ammunition, food and stores at sea whilst underway during the day or night.

Her embarked Sea King helicopter provides a Vertrep capability and anti-submarine weapon carrying platform. SUCCESS is a truly dynamic vessel designed to support a Naval Force for extended periods in an operational environment at sea.
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