Kanimbla class landing platform amphibious

The "Kanimbla" class is a class of two amphibious transport ships in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN); HMAS "Kanimbla" and HMAS "Manoora". Both ships were originally built as "Newport" class tank landing ships for the United States Navy. They were purchased by Australia in 1994.

Acquisition

In the early 1990s, the RAN initiated a procurement project to replace HMAS "Jervis Bay" with a dedicated training and helicopter support ship.cite book |last=Spurling |first=Kathryn |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |series=The Australian Centenary History of Defence |volume=III |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, VIC |isbn=0-195-54116-2 |oclc=50418095 |pages=pg 275 |chapter=The Era of Forward Defence] Meeting the vague specifications of the project required a purpose-built vessel at an approximate cost of AU$500 million. The high cost of the project led to its cancellation by the Minister for Defence in 1993, with the instructions to find a cheaper alternative. At around the same time, the United States Navy (USN) began plans to decommission fifteen of their twenty "Newport" class tank landing ships, offering them for purchase by various countries.

In 1994, the RAN elected to purchase two "Newport"s: US Ships "Saginaw" and "Fairfax County" for the combined price of AU$61 million (US$40 million), with the intention of converting each into a combined pocket helicopter carrier and amphibious warfare transport.cite news |first=Ron |last=Scherer |title=Senate hampers sale of Navy ships to eager nations |url= |format= |work=The Christian Science Monitor |page=7 |date=1994-07-18 |accessdate=2008-04-20] cite news |title=Contract puts Forgacs part of naval history |url= |format= |work=Newcastle Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |page=pg 8 |date=1998-05-13 |accessdate=2008-04-25] "Saginaw" was to decommission in the US and be immediately recommissioned into the RAN as HMAS "Kanimbla", and sailed to Australia by a RAN crew, while "Fairfax County" was to travel to Australia with a USN crew before decommissioning and recommissioning as HMAS "Manoora".cite journal |year=1994 |month=Spring |title=Put in our place |journal=Australia and World Affairs |volume=22 |issue=Spring |pages=43-45 |issn=1033-6192] Prior to "Saginaw"’s decommissioning, a RAN crew was sent to Norfolk, Virginia for training aboard the vessel.

"Saginaw" was decommissioned on 28 June 1994, but instead of being immediately recommissioned as HMAS "Kanimbla", it was announced at the decommissioning ceremony that the United States Congress had decided not to release the ships into foreign service. ["Put in our place" (1994). pp. 43-44] This last-minute move was part of a sale blockage for the fifteen surplus "Newport"s to nine nations, and was caused by the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services in an attempt to pressure US President Bill Clinton on the perceived running-down of the USN's amphibious warfare capability, as well as the concerns of one Senator over human rights in Morocco (one of the other nations slated to acquire a ship)."Put in our place" (1994). pg. 44] The sale to Australia was not approved until the start of August and "Saginaw" commissioned as HMAS "Kanimbla" on 29 August 1994.cite news |title=US OKs sale of 2 ships |url= |work=Sun Herald |page=26 |date=1994-08-07 |accessdate=2008-04-20] cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/HMAS_Kanimbla |title=HMAS Kanimbla (Royal Australian Navy) |accessdate=2008-08-210 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy ]

Conversion

After transferring into the RAN and arriving in Australia, "Kanimbla" and "Manoora" spent two years docked at Fleet Base East before they were moved to Forgacs Dockyard at Newcastle, New South Wales in June 1996, where they underwent conversion from tank landing ships to amphibious warfare transports.cite news |first=Natalie |last=Williams |title=$280m rust buckets - the true cost of Navy's $61m bargain buy |url= |format= |work=Daily Telegraph |publisher=News Corporation |page=pg 17 |date=1998-09-11 |accessdate=2008-04-25] The conversion required the main features of the "Newport" class, the bow doors, derrick, and tank ramp, to be removed.cite news |first=Richard |last=Macey |title=Navy in $70M Copter Carrier deal |url= |work=Sydney Morning Herald |page=6 |date=1994-06-27 |accessdate=2008-04-20] A hangar for three Sea King or four Blackhawk helicopters was added, while the aft helicopter deck was reinforced.cite book |editor=Sharpe, Richard |title=Jane's Fighting Ships |edition=110th edition (1997-1998) |series=Jane's Fighting Ships |year=1997 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location=Surrey, UK |isbn=0-7106-1546-9 ] Chinook helicopters are able to land and take off from the aft deck, but cannot be carried for prolonged periods. The deck forward of the superstructure was converted to carry two LCM-8 landing craft, which are launched and recovered by a single 70 ton crane. When the LCM-8s are deployed, the area functions as a third helicopter landing spot. Accommodation was provided for up to 450 soldiers, while improved medical facilities and an upgraded galley were also installed.Kathryn Spurling (2001). "The Royal Australian Navy", pg 276]

The refit was planned to last from 1995 to 1996, with "Manoora" upgraded first. However, extensive corrosion was discovered in both ships. The refit cost for the two ships increased AU$400 million, with half of the funding taken from repair and refit allocations for other ships.

Operations

Both ships are based at Fleet Base East. They are predicted to have a service life of fifteen years after the conversion.

References