HMS Ocean (L12)

History of HMS Ocean (L12)

Modern European navies rely more on amphibious assault support/helicopter carrier types than true flat-deck dedicated aircraft carriers. The Royal Navy has used such ships, for example their HMS OCean (L12). The vessel becomes a conventionally powered vessel, servicing up to 18 helicopters of various lift classes, including medium and heavy designs. The vessel was ordered on 11 May 1993, laid on 30 May 1994 by Vickers Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd, Kvarner, Scotland, and launched on 11 October 1995.

She commissioned on 30 September 1998 in the service of the British Royal Family and was homeported at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth until her retirement in 2014. She fights with the motto "Mighty O".

When completed, the ocean displacement is 23,700 tons, the length is 667 feet, the beam is 115 feet, and the draft is 21 feet. Her propulsion consists of 2 Crossley Pielstick V12 diesel engines and can reach speeds of up to 18 knots at full throttle, while cruising is usually in the 15 knot range. With full fuel and food supplies, the range is up to 8,000 miles. Her complement includes 285 personnel, with an additional 180 aircrews making up her Air Force.

Their processing suites and sensor equipment are state-of-the-art against a wide range of incoming threats. These include the Type 997 Artisan 3D radar, which provides full situational awareness, navigation and target display capabilities, as well as the 1007 and 1008 radars and UAT countermeasure suite.

Weapons are primarily light and defensive, as their real role has always been to support their squadrons and amphibious operations. As such, armament is limited to 4 x 30mm DS30M Mk 2 series cannons, 3 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), 4 x Miniguns and up to 8 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG).

This allows the ocean to fight incoming aircraft and missile threats, as well as suicide boats trying to reach her.

Her wings will include up to 18 rotorcraft, fully supporting mid-lift Sea King, Lynx, Wildcat and Merlin models, as well as full-fledged heavy models such as the CH-47 Chinook tandem rotorcraft. In addition, the The ship also assists in the launch and recovery of the Agusta Apache attack helicopter - the British Army's equivalent of the US Army's AH-64D Apache Longbow.

For amphibious support operations, the Ocean Cargo holds up to 40 military vehicles and 830 Royal Marines ready to go ashore by transport helicopters or 4 LCVPs ("Landing Craft Personnel"). Alternatively, HMS Ocean can be used to support humanitarian initiatives that may require large-scale movement of people.

Onboard sanitation facilities are used to treat the wounded and sick prior to transport to shore facilities.

Her overall external layout largely mimics traditional carrier designs, although she does not support the takeoff and landing of large fixed-wing aircraft, which is common on US carriers. Her bridge island unit, containing all the necessary communications and sensor equipment, was mounted on the starboard side of the ship in a typical fashion. This opens up the bow, stern and port sides, which serve as staging areas for landing and releasing helicopter components.

Launch ports for its inventory of amphibious landing craft are also located on the sides of the ship.

The first deployment of HMS Ocean was a humanitarian relief mission off the coasts of Honduras and Nicaragua following Hurricane Mitch in late 1998. She was then involved in Operation Palliser against Sierra Leonean rebels.

HMS Ocean launched her attack helicopters in support of various operations during the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. In 2007, she entered the refurbishment of the Royal Devonport Dockyard, followed by several joint multinational exercises. With the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Ocean used their salvage skills to rescue workers in the English Channel - a volcano that has severely affected travel of all kinds in northwest Europe. During the 2012 London Olympics, HMS Ocean was on standby in case her facilities and aircraft were needed to deal with an Islamic terrorist attack.

In 2014, HMS Ocean underwent a major seven-month refit, upgrading approximately 60 systems to enhance capabilities. She also participated in joint exercises with the French and supported several training programs.

The Royal Navy now expects two more modern flat-deck carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and HMS Prince of Wales (R09), currently (2014) under construction.

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