 | Fleet Air Arm |
| Fleet Air Arm |
Updated 14 December 2011
The Royal Australian Navy commissioned Australia’s newest warship, the Bay Class Landing Ship HMAS Choules in Fremantle on December 13. Choules, a former Royal Fleet Auxiliary which served the Royal Navy under the name Largs Bay, was renamed after Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules (pictured below), Australia’s last surviving World War I veteran. Mr. Choules passed away in his home city of Perth in May 2011, aged 110.
HMAS Choules is now at the forefront of a new generation of amphibious capability ships in the period leading up to the arrival of the Landing
Helicopter Dock ships in 2014.
The ship has been proven to have a robust amphibious capability, having provided humanitarian relief as a part of the international response to the Haiti
earthquake last year. The 176 metre long vessel has a crew of 158 officers and sailors, and can accommodate two large helicopters, 150 light trucks and 350 troops. She also carries two mexeflotes, which are powerful landing raft designed to move goods and vehicles between the ship and the shore.
Following her commissioning in Western Australia, HMAS Choules will transit to the east coast, arriving at her home port at Fleet Base East in Sydney on
December 21.
The 16,000 tonne Largs Bay was commissioned into service in 2006 and became surplus to UK requirements as a result of the British government's strategic defence review. The vessel was acquired for about $100 million and is expected to be operational in early 2012 while Australia awaits the completion of its own ship landing docks in Spain.
Return to News and Information page.