RFA Lyme Bay (L3007)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom
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| Name: | RFA Lyme Bay |
| Namesake: | Lyme Bay, Dorset |
| Ordered: | 18 December 2000 |
| Builder: | Swan Hunter / BAE Systems |
| Laid down: | 22 November 2000 |
| Launched: | 3 September 2005 |
| In service: | 26 November 2007 |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | in active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Bay-class landing ship dock |
| Displacement: | 16,160 t (15,905 long tons) full load |
| Length: | 579.4 ft (176.6 m) |
| Beam: | 86.6 ft (26.4 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Range: | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
1 LCU or 2 LCVP in well deck; Mexeflote powered rafts |
| Capacity: |
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| Troops: | 356 standard, 700 overload |
| Complement: | 60 |
| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | None carried |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size |
RFA Lyme Bay is a Bay-class auxiliary landing ship dock (LSD(A)) of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Ordered from Swan Hunter in 2000, the ship was launched in 2005. However, cost overruns and delays saw the shipbuilder removed from the project, and the incomplete ship was towed to Govan for finishing by BAE Systems Naval Ships. Lyme Bay entered service in late 2007; the last ship of the class to join the RFA.
The Bay class was designed as a replacement for the Round Table-class logistics ships operated by the RFA. The new design was based on the Royal Schelde Enforcer design; a joint project between the Dutch and Spanish resulting in the Rotterdam-class and Galicia-class amphibious warfare ships. The main difference with the British ships is the lack of a helicopter hangar. The ships were originally designated "Auxiliary Landing Ship Logistics" or ALSL, but this was changed in 2002 to "Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary)" or LSD(A), better reflecting their operational role. Four ships were ordered; two from Swan Hunter, and two from BAE Systems Naval Ships.
The Bay-class ships have a full load displacement of 16,160 tonnes (15,900 long tons). Each is 579.4 feet (176.6 m) long, with a beam of 86.6 feet (26.4 m), and a draught of 19 feet (5.8 m). Propulsion power is provided by two Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, providing 6,000 horsepower (4.5 MW), and two Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, providing 9,000 horsepower (6.7 MW). These are used to drive two steerable azimuth thrusters, with a bow thruster supplementing. Maximum speed is 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), and the Bay-class ships can achieve a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).Lyme Bay is armed with two 30 mm DS30B cannons, four Mk.44 miniguns, six 7.62mm L7 GPMGs, and two Phalanx CIWS. The standard ship's company consists of 60 officers and sailors.
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