Their survival is dependent upon a handful of defensive weapons carried by their few escorts.Such is the threat to these big, valuable ships that the new commander of the US Marine Corps last year declared he wants to scrap them.They can operate where there are no deepwater ports. This allows work on the ship to be completed at a number of different locations prior to assembly. They are designed with the shallowest possible draft to operate in secondary ports and harbours as well as manoeuvre in the shallow waters common in the littoral regions.There are four main decks; heavy vehicle, accommodation, hangar and light vehicles and flight decks.Purpose build water craft will enable transport of troops and equipment to shore, including where there are no fixed port facilities.The ships are equipped with modern Command and Control and combat systems including air and surface radar, advanced communications capability and surveillance systems.The ships are fitted with defensive systems and weaponry including an anti-torpedo towed system and gunnery.Leading Seaman Aviation Support Trent Gomm marshalls an Army CH-47F Chinook from C Squadron 5th Aviation Regiment, as another conducts a deck landing during training aboard HMAS Adelaide, off the east coast of Australia.A MRH-90 Taipan helicopter delivers visitors from the Timor Leste government to HMAS Adelaide in Dili Harbour, as Navy and Army landing crafts depart to deploy a mobile hospital to Dili, Timor Leste, part of a Joint Task Group 661.1 response to a multi-national Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise.HMAS Adelaide (III) at sunrise before entering Sydney Harbour.
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They have recently achieved Final Operating Capability, and we can now say we are one of the world’s premier amphibious forces,” Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead declared last month.They join HMAS Choules, the former British HMS Largs Bay, as our largest warships and frontline disaster relief assets.
There are 105 modules that make up the hull and seven modules that make up the superstructure.The construction of the hull to the level of the flight deck and the majority of fitting out was undertaken at Navantia’s shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. It carried hundreds of tons of emergency supplies, 350 army engineers to help repair vital infrastructure, and a fleet of earthmoving vehicles and heavy equipment.
The Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) is carrying 400 personnel including the ship’s company and personnel to support logistics and engineering capabilities, as well as 300 tonnes of relief supplies.