Endurance class landing platform dock ship
RSS Persistence (209) in the Singapore Strait.
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| Class overview | |
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| Name: | Endurance |
| Builders: | ST Engineering (Marine) |
| Operators: | |
| Preceded by: | County class |
| Completed: | 5 |
| Active: | 5 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Landing platform dock |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 141.0 m (462 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 21.0 m (68 ft 11 in) |
| Draught: | 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in) |
| Ramps: | 2 × (bow and stern) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | In excess of 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
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| Capacity: | 18 tanks, 20 vehicles and bulk cargo |
| Troops: | > 350–500 |
| Crew: | 65 (8 officers and 57 men) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
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| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | AS 332M Super Puma or AS532UL/AL Cougar or CH-47SD Chinook helicopters |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck and enclosed hangar for up to 2 medium-lift helicopters |
| Notes: |
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The Endurance-class landing platform dock ships (LPD) are the largest class of ships in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). They were designed and built by Singapore Technologies (ST) Marine to replace the old County-class tank landing ships (LST). The four ships form the 191 Squadron of the RSN.
The navy's intention to purchase the Endurance class was revealed by former Defence Minister Dr. Tony Tan during his visit to Tuas Naval Base on 3 August 1996. These ships were to replace the five ex-United States Navy (USN) County-class LSTs, which were acquired by Singapore from the United States in the 1970s. ST Marine was awarded the government contract to design and build the four ships – a significant milestone for the local defence and shipbuilding industries given the scale and extensiveness of the programme.
Construction of Endurance began in early 1997, with the keel laid down at ST Marine's Benoi yard on 27 March 1997.
The Endurance class is 40% larger than the previous County class that she replaced yet travels almost twice as fast. Each ship is fitted with a well dock which can accommodate four landing craft, as well as a flight deck which can accommodate two medium lift helicopters.
While the RSN describes the Endurance class as LSTs, they lack the beaching capability traditionally associated with LSTs and their well docks and flight decks qualify the Endurance class more as amphibious transport docks. The term "multipurpose support vessel" is closer to the intent of its use, given the necessary limited objectives of the RSN as a small naval force operating primarily in littoral waters.
The Endurance class was built with a heavy emphasis on automation. Endurance became the first ship in the world to use official electronic navigational charts with the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) to circumnavigate the world. The integrated bridge system allows the operator to access the navigation and communications systems, the ECDIS and other vital systems needed to sail the ship effectively, while the Ship Control, Monitoring and Management System controls, monitors and manages most of the platforms on board. The ships are also equipped with an Aircraft Ship Integrated Secure and Traverse (ASIST) system which helps in landing, securing, manoeuvring and traversing a helicopter, and eliminates the need for deck personnel to secure helicopters upon landing. All these result in a high degree of automation, with a reduced manning requirement of 65 crew members for a 6,500-tonne ship.
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