Bay Class Landing Ship Dock (LSD (A)) (RFA)

[GibMariner]

RFA Mounts Bay to transport Gibraltar's new Governor

http://chronicle.gi/2016/01/11/new-gove ... next-week/

[GibMariner]

RFA Mounts Bays sails for Mediterranean deployment

RFA Mounts Bay has sailed from the UK on deployment to the Mediterranean where she will provide a continuous amphibious capability over coming months.

The 16,000 tonne vessel left her home port of Falmouth last week before travelling to Marchwood, Southampton, to load up vehicles, boats, personnel and stores through the ship’s vast 1,200 m² vehicle deck.

“Once we are in the Mediterranean we will also embark a Wildcat helicopter from 825 Naval Air Squadron which means we will be able to start conducting aviation exercises with partners.”

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... deployment

[marktigger]

what size is the well dock on the Bay class?

[Engaging Strategy]

what size is the well dock on the Bay class?

Large enough for one LCU I believe.

[arfah]

............

[shark bait]

A quarter the size of the Albion's


Albion

Bay

[ArmChairCivvy]

An Albion has been designed as an assault ship; lots of concurrent activity
- a Bay as a follow-on logistics ship: more sequential, even though nothing wrong with the overall capacity

[shark bait]

Yes, a totally different class, which is why she belongs in the auxiliary fleet. An incredibly good value and flexible asset nonetheless

[marktigger]

and a model we should stick with in the future with a few tweaks like a Hanger though i see mounts bay has a tent fitted.

[Engaging Strategy]

Yes, a totally different class, which is why she belongs in the auxiliary fleet. An incredibly good value and flexible asset nonetheless

We should never have sold Largs Bay. Those ships are cheap to buy, cheap to run and very flexible. More effort should have gone into saving her, in extended readiness if necessary or adopted by DFID for HA/DR tasking. Of all the stupid mistakes made in the 2010 SDSR I think that ranks as one of the worst.

[marktigger]

true and any reason a further one couldn't be built I'm sure the Australians might be interested in procuring another one?

[Engaging Strategy]

A third modified Bay could also be used for the Argus replacement, ditch the well deck and convert the internal holds into hospital space. If you're feeling really ballsy you could replace Dilligence with another Bay fitted with heavy lifting and repair equipment back aft.

The Bay class, a solution to pretty much everything for £127mn!

[shark bait]

I was just thinking that too! The bays could work as an Argus replacement, its pretty much the same size and shape. Shame we don't have enough of them to manage that though.

A very short sighted decision removing a bay, lost a great asset, and saving very little cash in the process.

[marktigger]

certainly the enforcer type vessels could be used for a number of things

[donald_of_tokyo]

Bay class handles 1 LCU, simply because it was the requirement.

For example, the Enforcer class LPD (Garcia-class) can handle 4 LCM-1E, the same as Juan Carlos 1 and Garcia is smaller than Bays (166.2x25m, 14000t FL, vs 176.6x26.4m, 16000t FL). Rotterdam was able to carry four 27.3x6.85m LCUs (now the LCUs are elongated to 36.3m length, and she can carry only 2 of it).

Bay-class replacements can have any dock design as you like. List of LCU-likes are as follows:
- LCAC: 26.4x14.3 m, 185t, 60 (75) t load, 40kt@full load, 70kt@light.
- LCAT (EDA-R): 30x12.8 m, 285t, 80 (110) t load, 20kt@full load, 30kt@light
- Dutch LCU: 36.3 (originally 27.3) x 6.85 m, 255t, 65t load, -- kt (maybe ~10kt)
- British LCU: 29.8x7.7 m, 240t, 1 Ch2 tank or 120troops, 10kt@full load
- LCM-1E: 23.3x6.4 m, 110t, 55t load, 13.5kt@full load, 22kt@light.
(- Caimen90 (still a power-point plan): 30x7.7m, 203t, 90t load, 22kt@full load, 40kt@light)
You can see your LCU10s are a bit fatter than Dutch ones, as well as Spanish and Australian ones. (Actually I think this is the reason why current Bay can only embark one LCU10).

My idea will be to make Bay-class replacements to host 2 LCU.Mk10 (equivalents) or 1 LCAT or 1 LCAC. It will also carry 2 LCVP in their davits, as well as 2 mexefloats. With 4 of them (in addition to 1 LPH in my proposal), you can have: 8 LCU10s, 8 LCVPs and 8 mexefloats.

Currently with 2 Albions and 3 Bays, you have: 11 LCU10s, 8 LCVPs (+a few on Bays deck), and 6 mexefloats.

Considering a mexefloat as equivalent to a LCM10, difference is only 1 LCU10.

What is more important is to think what kind of landing craft assets you will get. These assets are integral to LPD replacements, so should not be planned independent. Then, what will come as a replacment for LCU10?

[Engaging Strategy]

LCU Mk.10 replacement will hopefully be PASCAT, once the MoD pulls their finger out and releases the money for production.

[marktigger]

donald the Bays will be around for 20-30 or more years

[donald_of_tokyo]

LCU Mk.10 replacement will hopefully be PASCAT, once the MoD pulls their finger out and releases the money for production.

Is PASCAT still "alive"? I do not see any info./promotion after 2010. Do anyone have any information? I am afraid it is "dead".
Now I personally prefer LCAT. I think UK can make it a bit wider, from 12.8m wide to 15m wide (to fit 2 LCU10 width) to improve maximum loads from 110t (max) to something like 130t or so. This will be equivalent to 2 LCU10s in load. With twice the speed, the landing campaign will be x2 faster.

donald the Bays will be around for 20-30 or more years

Really? I think it will be replaced around late 2030s to 2040s, just after the Albion replacement.

[donald_of_tokyo]

donald the Bays will be around for 20-30 or more years

Sorry. If you just mean, "it is too early to think about it", I agree to you.

It all comes from Ocean replacement thread. Since the Ocean replacement will never come, we start discussing far future, the Albion (and Bay) replacement in, say, 2040 or so. Yes, it is far.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Is PASCAT still "alive"? I do not see any info./promotion after 2010. Do anyone have any information? I am afraid it is "dead".

I think you are right. There is a wide evaluation of future ship-to-shore connectors running within the RN/RM (what is the optimal mix, to inform future ship designs) and the LCU is the only thing ruled out in the terms of ref... meaning that it should be taken as a given that it (or similarly dimensioned vessel) will stay.

[~UNiOnJaCk~]

LCU Mk.10 replacement will hopefully be PASCAT, once the MoD pulls their finger out and releases the money for production.

TD (I believe it was TD), reliably informs me that the programme is to all intents and purposes kaput. The single demonstator was put on sale not all that long ago and i can verify that piece of information having seen the webpage for it.

[marktigger]

probably because there is no designated budget for it at the minute but the knowledge is there. By the time the Albion's are being replaced there will be evaluations of the French and spanish craft and maybe PASCAT II will be improved.

[arfah]

............

[Caribbean]

Almost forgot to post this - RFA Lyme Bay off Hog Stye Bay, Grand Cayman last July.

The submarine does nice tours of the reefs, I'm told

[GibMariner]

Royal Navy Ship To Help In Migrant Crisis

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay will be acting as a patrol boat and deterrent to people smugglers in the Aegean Sea.
The Royal Navy is to send a ship to assist with the migrant crisis in the Aegean Sea, Sky News has learned.

It comes as Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has warned the Government that migration from the EU has left the UK "creaking at the seams".

RFA Mounts Bay, a landing dock, will join a NATO maritime group recently deployed to the region.

She is currently in Crete, waiting for diplomatic clearance to begin her mission in the waters around Greece and Turkey.

A Wildcat helicopter, from 825 Naval Air Squadron, has flown from Oman to link up with her.

A detachment of Royal Marines Commandos will also be on board.

If she doesn't receive diplomatic clearance within 10 days, she will sail into international waters and conduct airborne surveillance using the Wildcat.

Read more: http://news.sky.com/story/1653822/royal ... ant-crisis