By 19 Mei 2017
New Endurance 170 design (image : STMarine)
ST Marine is highlighting its latest Endurance 170 design, a landing helicopter assault (LHA) ship that measures 170m long, at IMDEX Asia 2017. It is an evolution of the Endurance 160, of which a scale model was on display.
Far more capable than the four-ship Endurance class currently operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), ST Marine said it had a ‘potential customer’ for the Endurance 170. While the shipbuilder would not be drawn on who its client was, the RSN has talked since 2014 of acquiring a larger Joint Multi-Mission Ship.
There are five landing spots on the LHA’s full-length 4,200m² flight deck, plus a below-deck hangar deck can accommodate ten medium-sized helicopters.
Tan Ching Eng, senior vice president of ST Marine’s engineering design centre II, said, to save deployment time, helicopter rotor blades can be fully deployed before the aircraft ascend either of the LHA’s two elevators.
The Endurance 170 has a full load displacement of 19,000t, is 170m in length and 30.8m in width. Its ship crew numbers 140 plus 150 for the air crew. It can also carry up to 400 troops. Maximum speed is listed as 20kt, its range as 7,000nm and an endurance of 30 days.
The well deck can accommodate four landing craft plus up to 17 tanks on the vehicle deck. Another deck can fit 16 30t armoured vehicles. A 1,000m² medical facility, with three operating theatres, ten intensive care unit beds and 17 wards, is integral to the design.
Weaponry being promulgated, dependent on customer preference, includes a 76mm gun, 30mm remote-control weapon systems, close-in weapon systems and a vertical-launch missile system.
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