Balikpapan class LCH
Encyclopedia

The Balikpapan class LCH (Landing Craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...

, Heavy) are a class of eight vessels operated by the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...

 and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). They were initially built for the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

, but operational responsibility was transferred from the Army to the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

 (RAN) during 1973 and 1974. As of 2011, all eight vessels were operational: six with the RAN, and two with the PNGDF following their transfer in 1975.

Design and capabilities

Eight new heavy landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...

 were ordered in 1969 as a locally-manufactured replacement for the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

's four LSM-1 class landing ship medium
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium
The LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium were a class of landing ships built for the United States Navy during World War II.The class commenced with the construction of LSM-1 on 5 May 1944 and continued on through the construction and commissioning of LSM-500 on 17 May 1945.This class was replaced,...

 and two ALC 50
ALC 50
The Australian Landing Craft 50 or ALC 50 was a class of Landing Craft Utility operated by the Australian Army. The two ALC 50s were built in Devonport, Tasmania and were probably completed in 1960. During their service with the Army they were named AB 3000 and AB 3001. The ALC 50s were replaced by...

 landing craft after the Landing Ship Medium Mk II
Landing Ship Medium Mk II
The Landing Ship Medium Mk II was an amphibious warfare ship developed for the Australian Army in the late 1960s. The Army and Royal Australian Navy were unable to reach agreement on the ship's specifications and the project was cancelled in the early 1970s.-History:In the late 1960s the...

 project was cancelled. They are 44.5 metres (146 ft) long, with a beam of 10.1 metres (33.1 ft), and a draught of 1.9 metres (6.2 ft). The landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...

 have a standard displacement of 316 tons, with a full load displacement of 503 tons. They are propelled by two G.M. Detroit 6-71 diesel motors, providing 675 brake horsepower to the two propeller shafts, allowing the vessels to reach 9 knots (4.9 m/s). The standard ship's company is 13-strong. The Balikpapans are equipped with a Decca RM 916 navigational radar, and fitted with two 7.62 millimetre (0.3 in) machine guns for self-defence.
The LCHs have a maximum payload of 180 tons; equivalent to 3 Leopard 1 tanks, 13 M113 armored personnel carrier
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...

s 23 quarter-tonne trucks, or four LARC-V
LARC-V
LARC-V , is an aluminium-hulled amphibious cargo vehicle capable of transporting 5 tons. It was developed in the United States during the 1950s, and is used in a variety of auxiliary roles to this day....

 amphibious cargo vehicles. As a troop transport, a Balikpapan class vessel can transport up to 400 soldiers between a larger amphibious ship and the shore, or embark 60 soldiers in six-berth caravans for longer voyages. The vessel's payload affects the range: at 175 tons of cargo, each vessel has a range of 1300 nautical miles (2,407.6 km), which increases to 2280 nautical miles (4,222.6 km) with a 150-ton payload, and 3000 nautical miles (5,556 km) when unladen. The flat, box-like keel causes the ships to roll considerably in other-than-calm conditions, limiting their ability to make long voyages. The LCHs can mate their bow ramp to the stern loading dock of the RAN's three large amphibious warfare ships (HMA Ships , , and ) when operating in the ship-to-shore role.

All eight Balikpapan class vessels were constructed by Walkers Limited
Walkers Limited
Walkers Limited is an Australian engineering company, based in Maryborough, Queensland, which built ships and locomotives. It is still in the locomotive-building business as part of Downer Rail.-History:...

 at their shipyard in Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...

. All were laid down during 1971 and 1972, with lead ship entering service with the Australian Army Water Transport Squadron at the end of 1971. After this, responsibility for seagoing Army craft was transferred to the RAN, with the other seven craft directly entering naval service during 1973 and 1974, with Balikpapan transferring over in late 1974.

Operational history

In January 1973, the Balikpapans in RAN service were formed together as the First Australian Landing Craft Squadron, based at in Brisbane.

In November 1974, and were transferred to the fledgling Papua New Guinea Defence Force, along with five Attack class
Attack class patrol boat
The Attack class patrol boats were small coastal defence vessels built for the Royal Australian Navy and operated between 1967 and 1985...

 patrol boats.

was assigned to the Royal Australian Navy Reserve in June 1979, and attached to the Brisbane Port Division. Three LCHs, , Balikpapan, and were placed in reserve at NQEA in Cairns during August and September 1985. They were reactivated in 1988, 1990, and 2000, respectively.

On entering service, and initially supplemented the inshore hydrographic survey
Hydrographic survey
Hydrographic survey is the science of measurement and description of features which affect maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/drilling and related disciplines. Strong emphasis is placed on soundings, shorelines, tides, currents, sea floor and submerged...

capabilities of the RAN until late 1988, when they were reassigned to the naval base for use in diver training.
The six Australian vessels are active as amphibious warfare ships in the RAN as of 2011. Four vessels are based at in Cairns, Queensland, with the other two at in Darwin, Northern Territory.

External links

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