Navantia set afloat, yesterday at 12:00, the first of the series of twelve fast landing crafts that the shipyard is building for the Royal Australian Navy. The design of these ships is based on the ones built by Navantia for the Spanish Navy and commissioned from 2006 to 2008.
The contract, signed in December 2011, includes the total construction in Navantia in the Bay of Cádiz, and means a workforce of 350,000 hours.
The landing crafts are destined to operate with the ALHD “Canberra” and ALHD “Adelaide”, strategic projection ships, similar to LHD ”Juan Carlos I”, also built by Navantia. Commissioning of the four first units is scheduled for April 2014.
The main characteristics of the ships are:
– Lenth overall: 23.30 m. – Floatation length: 21.27 m. – Width: 6.40 m. – Depth: 2.80 m. – Propulsion: two 809 kW diesel engines, two waterjets propellers – Speed: more than 20 knots – Autonomy: 190 miles at full load – Loading capacity flexibility: Abrams vehicle, several Army vehicles, fusiliers’ company or 20 feet container truck.
Australia is a strategic partner of Navantia, regarding the number of naval programs. As a result, recently Navantia established Navantia Australia Pty, as a proof of its commitment in the country.
[mappress] Press Release, September 17, 2013; Image: Navantia