HMS Ocean (L12)

HMS Ocean during Operation Ellamy and the 2011 military intervention in Libya.
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Ocean
Operator:	Royal Navy
Ordered:	11 May 1993
Builder:	Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, Kværner (Govan)
Laid down:	30 May 1994
Launched:	11 October 1995
Sponsored by:	Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Commissioned:	30 September 1998
Refit:	Major 2012–2014
Homeport:	HMNB Devonport, Plymouth
Motto:	Ex undis surgit victoria
Nickname(s):	"The Mighty O"
Honours and awards:	Ushant 1781 Mesopotamia 1914 Dardannels 1915 Suez Canal 1915 Korea 1952–53 Al Faw 2003
Status:	Active
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Landing Platform Helicopter
Displacement:	21,500 t (21,200 long tons; 23,700 short tons)
Length:	203.4 m (667 ft)
Beam:	35 m (115 ft)
Draught:	6.5 m (21 ft)
Propulsion:	Two Crossley Pielstick V12 diesel engines
Speed:	15 knots (17 mph; 28 km/h) cruise 18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h) max
Range:	8,000 miles (7,000 nmi; 13,000 km)
Boats & landing craft carried:	1 Seaboat (Pacific 22 Mk2) 4 × LCVP Mk5B
Capacity:	40 vehicles
Troops:	830 Royal Marines
Crew:	285 + 180 FAA/RAF
Sensors and processing systems:	Type 997 Artisan 3D Radar Type 1008 Navigational Radar 2 × Type 1007 Aircraft Control Radar
Electronic warfare & decoys:	UAT Electronic Support Measures DLH decoy Launchers Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD)
Armament:	4 × 30mm DS30M Mk2 guns 3 × Phalanx CIWS 4 × Miniguns 8 × General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	Up-to 18 helicopters: Westland Sea King Westland Lynx AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Merlin Boeing Chinook Westland Apache
Aviation facilities:	Large flight deck Hangar deck Helicopter lifts Vehicle deck

HMS Ocean is an amphibious assault ship, the UK's helicopter carrier and the fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force. She was constructed in the mid-1990s by Kvaerner Govan on the River Clyde and fitted out by VSEL at Barrow-in-Furness prior to trials and subsequent acceptance in service. She was commissioned in September 1998 at her home port HMNB Devonport, Plymouth.

An invitation to tender for a new helicopter carrier was issued in February 1992. In February 1993 The Times reported that the carrier faced cancellation due to budgetary constraints. However, at approximately the same time, British forces were engaged in operations in the Balkans, which saw the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's aviation training ship RFA Argus pressed into service as an amphibious transport ship. Argus proved totally unsuitable in terms of accommodation and facilities needed for a large Embarked Military Force (EMF), which emphasised the need for a purpose built platform. On 29 March 1993, the defence procurement minister announced that development of the new Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) was proceeding. Two shipbuilders tendered for the contract – Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (VSEL) and Swan Hunter. On 11 May 1993, the government announced that VSEL had won the contract. The build was to commercial standards, reducing costs significantly and leading to a construction spend of £154 million (£283 million in 2015),, comparable to that of a Type 23 frigate. VSEL, a warship manufacturer, sub-contracted the build phase to the commercial Kværner yard in Govan, Glasgow.