 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009) |
 Juan Carlos I (L-61) under construction at Navantia Ferrol Shipyard |
|
| Career (Spain) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Juan Carlos I |
| Ordered: | 2003 |
| Builder: | Navantia Ferrol, Spain |
| Laid down: | 2005 |
| Launched: | 10 March 2008 |
| Commissioned: | Expected in 2011 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 27,079 tonnes (24'560 as a.c.c.) |
| Length: | 231.8 metres (760 ft) |
| Beam: | 32 metres (100 ft) |
| Draught: | 7.18 metres (23.6 ft) |
| Propulsion: | Gas turbines Electrical (pods) |
| Speed: | 21 knots (39 km/h) |
| Range: | 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
Four LCM |
| Capacity: | 902 soldiers + up to 46 Leopard 2 tanks |
| Complement: | 243 + 172 air wing |
| Aircraft carried: | AV-8B Harriers, F-35, CH-47, Sea King, NH-90. |
Juan Carlos I (L61), is a multipurpose warship under construction for the Spanish Navy (Armada Española). Called a "strategic projection vessel" (Buque de Proyección Estratégica (BPE)), it is similar in concept to the American LHDs of the Wasp class, but with the addition of the ski jump for STOVL operations and can also be used as an aircraft carrier.
The design was approved in September 2003, and Navantia (formerly part of the Izar shipyards in Ferrol) began construction of the 231-metre 27,000-ton ship in 2005. The vessel was launched 10 March 2008,[1] and she will be commissioned in 2011.[citation needed] The vessel is named in honour of Juan Carlos I, the current King of Spain.
The new vessel is to play an important role in the Fleet. A platform that not only supports the mobility of the Marines (probably it will replace the L-41 Hernán Cortés and L-42 Pizarro (Newport-class LSTs), but that can also act as a platform for carrier-based aviation, and the strategic transport of ground forces as required.
The capacity of the ship will be of around 900 naval personnel, with equipment and support elements for 1,200 soldiers. Multi-functional garage and hangar space on two levels of 6,000 m², with capacity for 6,000 tonnes load each. A stern dock being able to lodge up to four LCM-1e boats or one LCAC.
.JPG)
The vessel will have a flight deck of 202 metres (660 ft) with "ski-jump". When used as an aircraft carrier, the ship will have eight points for Harrier, JSF or medium helicopters, four points for heavy helicopters of the CH-47 Chinook type, and one point for V-22 Osprey.[2] She can carry up to 30 aircraft in the aircraft carrier mode, using the light vehicles bay as additional storage zones.[2]
For the first time in the Spanish Navy, the ship will use diesel-electrical propulsion, simultaneously connecting both diesels and the new technology gas turbine to a pair of azimuthal pods.
Construction started in May 2005 simultaneously in Ferrol (with the cut of the first plate corresponding to Block 320) and in Fene (with the cut of the first plate corresponding to Block 330). The ship, that supposes a service load of 3,100,000 hours of production and 775,000 hours of engineering, was launched in March 2008, and is planned to be commissioned in 2011.[citation needed]
Following a lengthy design contest that pitted the design against the similar but smaller French Mistral class of ships, the Prime Minister of Australia announced on Wednesday 20 June 2007, that Australia would purchase and build two ships of the same design (to become the Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Docks). Work for these two ships is expected to be performed in Australia by BAE Systems Australia with the balance in Spain and other countries.
References
- ^ "Alonso elude concretar si el Gobierno contratará una sexta fragata F-100 para Navantia" (in Spanish). lavozdegalicia.es. 2007-10-28. http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/dinero/2007/10/29/00031193671551553574845.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- ^ a b "LHD Juan Carlos I (Mission profile)" (in Spanish, English, and French). Spanish Ministry of Defense (armada). 2007-10-28. http://www.armada.mde.es/ArmadaPortal/page/Portal/ArmadaEspannola/conocenos_modernizacion/prefLang_en/02_jc_i--04_perfil_mision_es. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
See also
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Juan Carlos I (L-61) |
- Official Web-site of the Spanish Navy (in Spanish) with information about the "Buque de Proyección Estratégica"
- Pictures of the finished vessel
- "Juan Carlos I under construction" (JPEG). http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/43337/2000539966862221236_rs.jpg. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
- 41 photographs Juan Carlos I (L61) launch in Revista Naval (Spanish)
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
