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HMS Ocean Helicopter Carrier |
BACKGROUND
HMS Ocean is the newest addition to the Royal Navy's Fleet and its pride and joy, as well as its largest serving ship. HMS Ocean is based upon the Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers, albeit with a modified superstructure and no ski-ramp, that has seen the latest incarnations of HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrius, and HMS Ark Royal. Although based upon this design it is focused on an entirely different mission profile. Whereas the Invincible Class Carriers are designed to carry and support FA2 Sea Harriers used by the Royal Navy, HMS Ocean is designed for the purpose of carrying Helicopters and an entire battle ready EMF, (Embarked Military Force,) of Royal Marines and British Army Units. Capable of carrying just under 1000 Royal Marines with additional room for over 40 vehicles.
The initial contract for the design and building of Ocean was tendered out in 1993 and HMS Ocean was offically commisioned 30th september 1998, and attained battle readiness in may of 1999 after sea trials from its home port of Devonport. To date, HMS Ocean has performed admirally with only a few examples of minor problems. The most notable of those is that several Chinook Helicopter pilots have misjudged the flight decks length and their positioning as they are used to the slightly smaller Invincible Class Carriers. The pilots have hit the back end of HMS Ocean causing damage to their aircraft, and to HMS Ocean which has required repairs.
HMS Ocean constitutes the first part of a programme to revitalise the United Kingdom's amphibious capability. This entails a core force comprising of HMS Ocean, the new Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships HMS Albion, and HMS Bulwark, (entering service from 2003-4 to replace HMS Fearless and the HMS Intrepid), and five Landing Ship Logistic (LSL) vessels (including two new ships to enter service in 2004), from which Commodore Amphibious Task Group will be able to assemble a mobile, flexible and sustainable amphibious force.
RPG STATS
Government: United Kingdom (Royal Navy)
Ship Type: Landing Platform Helicopter Carrier
Class: Modified Invincible Class
Manufacturer: BAE Systems Marine (formerly Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering)
Crew:
Ships Crew: 255
Air Crew: 206
Troops: 480 Royal Marines (additional 380 Marines if neccesary)
Notable Ships of Class:
HMS Ocean (LPH-01)
MDC BY LOCATION:
(1) Main Body 4,250
(2) Command Tower 900
(2) Sensor Array (on top of Command Tower) 200
(3) Flight Deck 1000
(5) Propellors (2) 300 each
Oerlikon 30mm Cannon (4) 150 each
30mm Phalanx CIWS (3) 150 each
Outer Hull (per 40ft area) 100
Interior walls (per 20ft) 10
NOTES:
- Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the carrier out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, the ship itself will be an unsalvageable sinking wreck.
- Destroying the command tower will instantly kill the command staff and deprive the ship of all forms of long range communications, radar and targeting. Destroying the main sensory array behind the command tower will have the same effect, but the command staff will not be killed instantly.
- Destroying the flight deck will impair the carrier's ability to deploy and recover aircraft.
- Depleting the MDC of the propellors will leave the ship adrift until such time as they are repaired or the ship is towed back to port.
SPEEDS:
Speed: 18 knots
Maximum Range: 8,000 miles
STATISTICAL DATA:
Length: 203.4 m
Width: 36.1 m
Weight: 21,760 t
Engines: Two Crossley Pielstick 16 PC2.6 V 200 diesels, 17.5 MW
Radar Systems:
Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 Navigation Radar
Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 Search & Aircraft Control Radar
BAE SYSTEMS Type 996 Surface Search Radar
Sonar Systems: Thales Underwater Systems Type 2016 Active/Passive Search and Attack Sonar
WEAPON SYSTEMS:
1. BRITISH AEROSPACE/OERLIKON 30 mm CANNON (4):
As part of the close in defence complement this weapon is designed to engage aircraft and missiles. It is manned by a gun crew and is very effective againest low flying aircraft. These weapons are manned by either Royal Navy, or Royal Marine gun crews.
- PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-Missile
- SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Aircraft
- RANGE: 1.6 km
- DAMAGE: 3D6 M.D. per 10 round short burst
- RATE OF FIRE: Equal to the controller's number of hand-to-hand attacks. If set on automatic by the Principal Weapons Officer it can fire up to 4 bursts per round.
- BONUSES: +2 to hit aircraft/mecha
2. 30 mm VULCAN PHALANX (CIWS) (3):
The Phalanx is the Carrier's primary defence against inner range aircraft and missiles.
- PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-Missile
- SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Aircraft
- RANGE: 1.6 km
- DAMAGE: 3D6 M.D. per 10 round short burst
- RATE OF FIRE: Equal to the controller's number of hand-to-hand attacks. If set on automatic by the Principal Weapons Officer it can fire up to 4 bursts per round.
- PAYLOAD: 500 rounds
3. THALES DEFENCE'S TYPE 675(2) JAMMING SYSTEM:
Used to defeat hostile radar and Sonar, the ECM/ESM, (Electronic Counter Measures,) jammers will confuse all radar and sonar so that the ships is much harder to be detected or locked onto with radar/sonar guided weapons. This does not give away the position of the ship but it does let the enemy know that they are there. The only way that it can be defeated is with ECCM, (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures.)
- PRIMARY PURPOSE: Block Enemy Radar/Sonar
- RANGE: 30 miles
- RULES: Confuses all radar/sonar within 30 miles, but can be defeated by ECCM, if the ECCM operator gets a higher Sensory Instruments percentage roll against the ECM operator.
4. HUNTING ENGINEERING SEA GNAT CHAFF/FLARE DECOY DISPENSORS (8):
The Carriers Counter-measures dispensors consist of eight six-barrelled 130 mm Chaff/Flare launchers. Triggered by the Principal Weapons Officer (PWO), they will release either a chaff cloud or single flare depending on what the PWO chooses. They are used to confuse enemy missiles attacking the Carrier. Smart missiles get a 20% bonus when rolling on the below chart.
- Payload: Three of each type (per launcher) Reloads are automatic with 3 reloads per launcher before a manual reload is required. Stores hold 10 full reloads of the system.
- Effects:
01-50 Missile/s detonated by Chaff/Flare.
51-75 Missile/s loses track of target and veers away in wrong direction, (may lock onto another target).
76-00 No effect, missile is still on target.
SYSTEMS OF NOTE:
- AIRCRAFT LIFTS: The flight deck has two lifts that transport aircraft between the flight deck and below deck hanger bays.
- DECOYS: The Sea Gnats are mounted on Hunting Engineering 130mm six-barrel launchers consisting of chaff and infra-red decoys.
- LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: The carrier has sufficient food, water, fuel and amenities to support up to 1400 people for up to 6 months. In an emergency the carrier can support up to 2500 people at one time, though living conditions onboard will get extremely cramped at that point.
- LONG-RANGE LASER/SATELLITE RELAY COMMUNICATIONS: The impressive communications array of the carrier can communicate with up to 500 craft simultaneously at ranges of up to 1,440 km. This range can be boosted indefinitely by using satellites or other craft as to relay communications.
- LONG-RANGE RADAR: The radar array of the escort carrier is equally as impressive as the communication system, and can track and identify up to 500 craft simultaneously. The radar system has a 3,200 km range.
- REPAIR/RESUPPLY: The Ocean Carrier is capable of repairing all but the most serious damage to aircraft on board to enable the aircraft to remain operational due to a large air crew of several hundred air frames mechanics and electricians.
- 9 ASSAULT SQUADRON: 9 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (9 ASRM) are a permanent Royal Marines Squadron embarked on HMS OCEAN, consisting of 2 officers, 5 SNCOs, 7 JNCOs and 16 Marines, all of whom play an important role for the Squadron and the Ship's company. Besides their primary roles as Royal Marines, they also have responsibilities within the ship, including fire fighting, bridge watchkeeping and security duties.
Ship-borne Vehicles (STANDARD):
- 12 Super Lynx Helicopter
- 6 Sea King or EH-101 Merlin Helicopter
- 12 Chinook Transport Helicopter (cCan be carried if required)
- 20 Sea Harrier (can be carried but not supported)
- 4 LCVP Mk 5 vehicle/personnel landing craft
- 40 Vehicles (not tanks)
REFERENCES
© Aaron Sketchley