Bay Class Landing Ship

A civilian-manned fleet owned by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence
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Pelican
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Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

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Support ship Cardigan Bay completes mammoth four-year Gulf mission
18 June 2021 RFA Cardigan Bay
A four-year tour of duty for Navy support ship RFA Cardigan Bay ended – in cardigan weather – when she arrived back in Portland today.
Since 2017, the Bay-class vessel has been crucial to Royal Navy operations in the Gulf – especially minehunting and clearance by British ships and partner nations in the region.
See:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... rdigan-bay
[Mostly unsung heroes, they just get on and do whatever is asked of them.]
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

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Converting the Bay-class auxiliaries into littoral strike ships



The Defence Command Paper published in the wake of the March 2021 Integrated Review promised: “more than £50m will be spent converting a Bay class support ship to deliver a more agile and lethal littoral strike capability”. Here we take a speculative look at the options for the conversion.


Background
The Bay Class Landing Ship Dock – Auxiliary (LSD(A)) vessels were originally conceived to provide follow-on support to amphibious assaults, with additional troops and stores carried ashore by landing craft and mexeflote. While they are still entirely capable in this role, they have proved to be flexible and adaptable as a platform for other tasks, notably mine warfare support and humanitarian aid operations. As uncrewed systems become increasingly important they are also an ideal mothership for UAVs, UUVs and USVs.

The full history and design of these vessels is covered in depth by an earlier article but it is safe to say the three remaining Bay class are in high demand. The decision to convert at least one as an LSS is intended as a stop-gap until replaced by the promised ‘Multi-Role Vessels’ in the early 2030s. The conversion should be complete by 2023 when the first LSS is expected to deploy to the Indo-Pacific region.

A more expensive route would have been to procure a dedicated LSS using an adapted merchant vessel. Prevail Partners had developed the LSS concept and put agreements with relevant commercial shipping companies in place that could have delivered the capability without converting one or more of the precious LSD(A)s. Besides cost, limited personnel numbers, boats and helicopters available to equip additional vessels must also have factored in the decision not to go with the Prevail offering.

The LSS concept is described officially as “a forward-deployed vessel, to respond rapidly to crises, special operations-capable, ready to strike from the sea, to pre-empt and deter sub-threshold activity, and counter state threats.” The most significant difference in role between that of the LSD(A) and LSS is the requirement to loiter at sea for longer periods and be able to generate and support special forces and light raiding operations. This is in line with the Future Commando Force (FCF) concept that envisages smaller, more agile forces not intended to conduct ‘traditional’ heavier amphibious warfare. The development of a new Royal Marines operating model is a necessary adjustment to a changing and more complex battlespace, but it is also a convenient way to avoid the significant costs of recapitalising ships and equipment needed to retain the full spectrum of credible amphibious capability.

Continues at - https://www.navylookout.com/converting- ... ike-ships/

Also see - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 3468736516
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

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RFA Mounts Bay

Let the offload commence, see you next time 47 Cdo RM
Short video at - https://twitter.com/RFAMountsBay/status ... 0965389313
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

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RFA’s day as the Navy’s vital support arm celebrates 12 months of global achievements

What has the RFA ever done for us?

Well to highlight its achievements over the past 12 months, the Royal Navy’s crucial support arm – which provides fuel, supplies, a floating hospital facility, aviation training and support for amphibious and minehunting operations – celebrated ‘Livery Day’ in Southampton.

RFA Mounts Bay, which has spent the spring and summer supporting ceremonial events (the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on the Thames) and Royal Marines training (Norway and the Netherlands), berthed in the Solent city.

For much of the late 20th Century, Southampton Water and Marchwood military port were the spiritual home of the service, although today its ships gravitate more towards Falmouth and Portland when they are alongside in UK waters.

Livery Day aims to highlight the work and above all successes of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary over the past 12 months, drawing attention to a Service indispensable to the day-to-day operations of the Royal Navy, yet largely unknown by the general public.

Continues, with a full set of photos, at - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... hievements
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Pelican
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Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

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Mounts Bay is now high and dry in Falmouth & receiving some much loved TLC to her external hull.

The ships azimuth pods and stern door on show demonstrating her unique capabilities:
See - https://twitter.com/RFA Mounts Bay/status/1643707207014285315

* - For correct link see next post.
Last edited by Pelican on Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
User avatar
Pelican
Posts: 9748
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:10 pm

Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

Unread post by Pelican »

Mounts Bay is now high and dry in Falmouth & receiving some much loved TLC to her external hull.

The ships azimuth pods and stern door on show demonstrating her unique capabilities:
See - https://twitter.com/RFAMountsBay/status ... 15/photo/1
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
User avatar
Pelican
Posts: 9748
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:10 pm

Re: Bay Class Landing Ship

Unread post by Pelican »

Converting the Bay-class auxiliaries into littoral strike ships

The Defence Command Paper published in the wake of the March 2021 Integrated Review promised: “more than £50m will be spent converting a Bay class support ship to deliver a more agile and lethal littoral strike capability”. Here we take a speculative look at the options for the conversion.


Background
The Bay Class Landing Ship Dock – Auxiliary (LSD(A)) vessels were originally conceived to provide follow-on support to amphibious assaults, with additional troops and stores carried ashore by landing craft and mexeflote. While they are still entirely capable in this role, they have proved to be flexible and adaptable as a platform for other tasks, notably mine warfare support and humanitarian aid operations. As uncrewed systems become increasingly important they are also an ideal mothership for UAVs, UUVs and USVs.

Continues at - https://www.navylookout.com/converting- ... ike-ships/
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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