Ship for all occasions
"Vladivostok" and "Sevastopol", being built for the Russian Navy, will be able to solve both military and humanitarian tasks
Universal amphibious assault ships (UDC) are designed to solve a wide range of expedition tasks that are currently becoming the main ones for the naval forces of many states. It is about participation in international or coalition military and peacekeeping operations in areas remote from the national territory. Representing the largest subclass of amphibious ships, UDC on combat potential corresponds to light and even medium aircraft carriers, which characterizes their importance in the system of modern naval forces.
Domestic terminology with respect to amphibious force ships is very vague, but it is considered that the UDC (a term that appeared in the USSR in 70-s for the American ships of the Tarawa type) is a large unit that unites the amphibious assault ship and the helicopter carrier. They have a carrier-based architecture with a solid flight deck and a hangar for the permanently-based helicopters, as well as a docking chamber for landing craft and with significant landing holds. The initiators of the creation of such units were the United States, where these ships were originally designated Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA). The lead ship of the new subclass LHA 1 Tarawa was ordered by the US Navy in 1969 and commissioned in 1976 (actually in 1978). Before 1980, four more units of this type were built (LHA 2 - LHA 5). Tarawa UDCs were capable of carrying a CH-30 or 46 CH-19 transport helicopters in the 53 hangar, had a docking chamber 81 meter in length and space for 1900 marines with equipment, that is, a reinforced battalion. The integration of such significant capabilities into one unit required a sharp increase in the size of the ship, the total displacement of which reached 40 thousand tons, the size of the average aircraft carrier.
America
Since the advent of the UDC, they have become the basis of the expeditionary and amphibious capabilities of the US Navy and have become an example of imitation for the rest of the fleets of the world. In the United States, the empowerment of amphibious forces was associated with the introduction of amphibious assault boats (LCV) of the LCAC type, which began to enter the fleet in the 80s. This required an increase in the size of the ships' dock chambers. Therefore, the next series of UDC of the Wasp type with a full displacement of 41 thousand tons was built with an increased size of the dock and was considered oriented mainly for disembarking using LCAC, and not helicopters as opposed to ships of the Tarawa type. Wasp type ships, built on the basis of the Tarawa hull and preserving their architecture and helicopter capacity, received a new designation - Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). It should be noted that all foreign UDC consider the LHD type ships in the USA.
Another feature of the Wasp-type UDC was the provision of the vertical take-off and landing of the AV-8B Harrier II-type aircraft on them, which gave the ships the combat potential of light aircraft carriers. In the version with full aircraft vertical takeoff and landing, Wasp can carry up to 20 AV-8B aircraft and up to six anti-submarine helicopters. From 1989 to 2001, the American fleet received seven Wasp UDCs (LHD 1 - LHD 7), and the last, eighth ship of this type, LHD 8 Makin Island, was built according to a modified design with gas turbine power plant and put into operation in 2009 year.
Although the United States was the first to take the step in shaping the appearance of the UDC as a hybrid of the landing helicopter carrier and dock ship, on the ships of the next generation they decided to abandon this concept in its purest form. New ships of the type America, designed to replace the Tarawa and also classified as LHA (UDC), do not have a docking chamber and, in fact, returned to the type of landing helicopter carrier, although they retain significant cargo and equipment transportation capabilities. The landing of America ships is supposed to be carried out exclusively aviation in a way using MV-22B convertiplanes and CH-53K heavy transport helicopters with providing air support for AH-1Z combat helicopters and F-35B aircraft. In total, up to 23 F-35B is constantly based on the ship, and the standard air group should consist of 10 F-35B, 12 MV-22B, four CH-53K, four MN-60S and eight AH-1Z.
America type ships are the basis of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). They are planned to have 11. Each should include one UDC and two amphibious assault ships (LPD and LSD), which are assigned the main tasks for the transportation and landing of equipment. The group has on board a Marine Expeditionary Battalion. Now the US Navy has ten ESGs, each usually includes three surface warships and one atomic multi-purpose submarine.
UDC America is in many ways a development of the Wasp type ships, and its full displacement will reach 45 thousand tons, and the assault force will be 1687 people. The gas turbine power plant (EC) of the ship is similar to Makin Island UDC, but it has two additional electric motors for low speed. The lead ship of the new type LHA 6 America was handed over for testing in November 2013. An order has been issued for the construction of a second ship LHA 7 Tripoli. Originally, the construction of a new type of 11 units was planned, but the current long-term shipbuilding program includes only seven units, and probably no more than four will be built. Since there was criticism among the US naval leadership over the abandonment of the dock cell on ships of the America type, it has now been decided that the dock will be restored starting approximately from the third ship of this type.
The rest of the world
The development of the UDC subclass outside the United States began with the end of the 90-s, which was primarily due to the fundamental change after the Cold War. The Western Navy reoriented from the task of gaining dominance at sea to combat operations against the coast during expeditionary and military campaigns around the world. An important task was also participation in humanitarian missions. Given the limited economic opportunities, the new amphibious ships should have the maximum multifunctionality.
Modern non-American UDC are also considered as means of controlling expeditionary groups of forces and assets or ship formations, which is why they often have enhanced staff capabilities. In addition, in peacetime they are used as training. It is considered necessary to have on board a hospital with the possibility of a rapid increase in capacity.
France was a pioneer here, putting into operation in 2006-2012 three UDKs of the Mistral type, combining the functions of a landing helicopter carrier, dock ship and control ship, with a total displacement of 21,3 thousand tons. Ships are a kind of smaller version of the classic American UDC. This is a balanced project for specific French requirements - expeditionary ships for long-term operations in remote waters, including use as a control ship, with minimal requirements for the combat component. They have a high degree of automation, were designed to a large extent according to commercial standards, and for the first time in the world, out of large combat units, they are equipped with an electric power plant and throttle propellers. They accommodate up to 500 landing personnel in high habitat conditions (2-, 4- and 6-berth cabins), and headquarters premises can accommodate up to 200 employees. Opportunities for transportation of equipment are 110 units, including up to 13 major tanks. There is a hospital for 89 beds. The dock can accommodate four landing boats of the LCM type, or two American LAC LCACs, or two high-speed boats of the L-CAT catamaran water-cutting type. The hangar is designed for the permanent base of eight NH90 helicopters or six NH90 and four combat Tiger. The maximum helicopter capacity of 16 units is achieved when placing six more cars on regular runways on the deck.
The second European ship of the UDC subclass was the Spanish Juan Carlos I, commissioned in the 2010 year. Compared with the Mistral, it is a larger (27 thousand tons) ship with enhanced combat characteristics and much greater airborne and airborne transport capabilities. In fact, it is considered as a new light aircraft carrier, adapted for the permanent deployment of the AV-8B or F-35B aircraft and is equipped with an airborne springboard. The hangar is designed for seven F-35B, or 12 NH90 helicopters, or eight CH-47. Taking into account the seats on the flight and landing decks, the ship is able to carry up to 30 aircraft. Four landing craft of type LCM-1E or one KVP LCAC are placed in the docking chamber. The landing capacity of the Juan Carlos I is 900 man and 77 units of equipment (including up to 43 main tanks), there are staff premises for 100 man. The area of the airborne cargo decks is 6000 square meters, which is more than twice that of the Mistral. The Spanish ship has an electropower installation with propellers, but the EC includes gas turbine generators and provides a full speed to the 21,5 node.
In the 2007 project, Juan Carlos I won the Australian Navy competition for the construction of two Canberra and Adelaide UDCs with a delivery period of 2014 and 2015.
South Korea became another owner of a full-fledged UDC, introducing fleet in 2007 the ship of national construction LPH 6111 Dokdo. With a total displacement of 19 thousand tons, Dokdo has a docking chamber with two LCAC LCVs and an under-deck hangar containing up to 10 UH-60 helicopters. Landing capacity is 720 people and up to 40 pieces of equipment (including six tanks). The ship carries significant defensive weapons. Diesel EC provides a speed of up to 23 knots. UDC Dokdo, unlike others, is oriented not to overseas expeditionary, but to operations in Korean coastal waters. The fleet plans to have three such ships as the flagships of the formed strike groups. The second ship was ordered in 2012. The possibility of basing on these UDC and F-35B aircraft is being considered.
The construction of the UDC of national projects currently involves several more countries: Germany, Italy and, apparently, the PRC. In India, announced a tender for the construction of four UDC. In 2011, the customer of UDC was Russia, having signed a contract with the French shipbuilding association DCNS for the construction of two Mistral-type ships. The contract cost is 1,2 billion euros, while the actual construction is estimated at 980 million euros, while the remaining costs imply the transfer of technical documentation and licenses, training, etc. The contract parameters provided Russia with the purchase of two UDCs that are being built in France with the DCNS shipyard leading role STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire (the stern parts should be manufactured in St. Petersburg at OJSC “Baltic Shipbuilding Shipbuilding”), and an option for two more ships entirely Russian-built.
The first ordered UDC of the Mistral type - “Vladivostok” has already been launched and is to be delivered to the Ministry of Defense of Russia in the autumn of 2014, the second - “Sevastopol” is scheduled to be delivered in the autumn of 2015. Both will be part of the Pacific Fleet. Interestingly, the contracted ships were credited to the lists of the Russian Navy in January 2012, not as UDC, but as amphibious assault ship docks (DVKD).
Combat application
To date, only Tarawa, Wasp and Mistral have combat experience. The extremely wide and versatile use of French ships for solving a wide variety of tasks draws attention, despite their relatively short time in the French Navy (two from the 2007 and the third from the 2012). A special feature of the military use of UDC is their versatility - these units were used in various roles, however, never in their original quality - for the landing of significant landings.
The American UDC is traditionally actively involved as the nucleus of amphibious or naval connections in various regions of the world. They carry contingents of marines and complement aircraft carriers in operations against the coast. For example, during the Gulf War in 1991, the LHA 4 Nassau was used as a light aircraft carrier with AV-8B aircraft to support the actions of marines on land. In 1999 against Yugoslavia, LHD 3 Kearsarge was used as a control ship and at the same time a light aircraft carrier with AV-8B aircraft. Against Iraq in 2003, the same functions were performed by LHD 5 Bataan and LHD 6 Bonhomme Richard, and Kearsarge against Libya in 2011. The MV-22 converting gliders from this UDC 22 in March 2011 picked up the pilots of the F-15E American fighter-bomber that crashed during a sortie flight in Libya.
Otherwise, the main tasks of the UDC in peacetime, in addition to the “expeditionary presence”, are troop transfer, humanitarian and evacuation measures. In all these cases, they play the role of large multi-purpose high-speed transports with significant auxiliary (aviation, medical, etc.) capabilities.
The United States uses its UDC as flagship anti-piracy missions off the coast of Somalia, and their advantage remains significant helicopter air groups. The most famous episode is the release in April of 2009 of the year by special forces, parachuting from helicopters with LHD 4 Boxer, captured by the American container ship Maersk Alabama.
In connection with the upcoming commissioning of the Russian Navy two Mistral, of particular interest is the experience of the use of these ships by France. In a short period of time, the French managed to break in a variety of ways to use them. The lead ship, the L 9013 Mistral, began with the 1500 evacuation of French citizens in July of the 2006 from Beirut to the Turkish port of Mersin. In view of the crew and the landing, there were 2200 people on board. It was reported that the UDC could take a maximum of 4400 people. At the same time, Mistral delivered 650 troops and 85 wheeled vehicles, including five cannon armored vehicles AMX-10RC and 20 of VAB armored personnel carriers and light armored vehicles VBL, to the French peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon.
During the long trip to the Indian and Pacific oceans in 2008, Mistral delivered a cargo of humanitarian aid from India to Thailand for the population of Myanmar who had suffered from a cyclone (the Myanmar government did not give permission to call the ship directly into the territorial waters of the country). UDC L 9013 Mistral and L 9014 Tonnerre during Operation Harmattan, French participation in NATO military operations against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in the Libyan civil war in 2011, was most famous for the French use of both cash at that time.
The first to the coast of Libya came from Toulon 17 in May 2011, the UDC Tonnerre. On board were 19 helicopters of the French Army Aviation - 13 Gazelle, two Tiger NAR and four Puma. One Gazelle was unarmed with the SA.341F control machine, eight were equipped with ATGM HOT (SA.342M1), two were equipped with 20-mm cannons (SA.341F2), and two were Mistral air-to-air missiles. Both combat Tiger NAR staffed only had 30-mm cannon, 68-mm unguided and Mistral missiles. Equipped with ATGM Hellfire II Tiger helicopters modifications HAD by that time had not yet arrived in army aviation. Two Puma were used as search and rescue, although not carried special equipment. Tonnerre conducted military operations with his helicopters on targets in Libya from 3 June 2011 of the year, interacting with British military helicopters WAH-64D Apache, operating from the Ocean helicopter carrier.
12 July 2011 th to replace Tonnerre from Toulon to the Libyan coast arrived Mistral, on board which flew from 12 to 14 July helicopter air group. As a result, 20 helicopters were deployed on the ship, with two Puma being replaced with specialized CSAR Caracal machines. July 17 Tonnerre departed to Toulon and returned to Libya to replace the Mistral 9 of September, also with the transfer of the air group from Mistral. For ten days, both French UDCs acted together until September’s Mistral 18 went to Toulon. In October, additional search and rescue support was provided by three Tonnerre-based American HH-60 helicopters. A hospital was also deployed at Tonnerre, and he returned to his homeland on October 25 2011, after the complete victory of the opposition in Libya and the death of Gaddafi.
In total, during the period of hostilities in Libya, 23 French helicopters operated from both UDCs. 43 group sorties were made, a total of 316 helicopter flights with 1115 hours of flight. SA.342M1 Gazelle helicopters launched 425 (according to other sources - 431) ATGM NOTET, and Tiger HAP - 1618 millimeters of unguided rockets of 68 caliber and three Mistral missiles on ground targets. Both types of machines also fired 13,5 thousands of 20-mm and 30-mm projectiles from cannons. They worked almost exclusively at night using round-the-clock search and aiming systems. It was claimed defeat 600 targets, including 400 vehicles. At the same time, French helicopters did not suffer any losses.
Taking into account the active use of Mistral in the French fleet as control ships, the experience of the creators shows that the Russian Navy in the person of Vladivostok and Sevastopol, with a responsible approach to their operation, can get really valuable and multi-purpose units.
Universal amphibious assault ships (UDC) are designed to solve a wide range of expedition tasks that are currently becoming the main ones for the naval forces of many states. It is about participation in international or coalition military and peacekeeping operations in areas remote from the national territory. Representing the largest subclass of amphibious ships, UDC on combat potential corresponds to light and even medium aircraft carriers, which characterizes their importance in the system of modern naval forces.
Domestic terminology with respect to amphibious force ships is very vague, but it is considered that the UDC (a term that appeared in the USSR in 70-s for the American ships of the Tarawa type) is a large unit that unites the amphibious assault ship and the helicopter carrier. They have a carrier-based architecture with a solid flight deck and a hangar for the permanently-based helicopters, as well as a docking chamber for landing craft and with significant landing holds. The initiators of the creation of such units were the United States, where these ships were originally designated Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA). The lead ship of the new subclass LHA 1 Tarawa was ordered by the US Navy in 1969 and commissioned in 1976 (actually in 1978). Before 1980, four more units of this type were built (LHA 2 - LHA 5). Tarawa UDCs were capable of carrying a CH-30 or 46 CH-19 transport helicopters in the 53 hangar, had a docking chamber 81 meter in length and space for 1900 marines with equipment, that is, a reinforced battalion. The integration of such significant capabilities into one unit required a sharp increase in the size of the ship, the total displacement of which reached 40 thousand tons, the size of the average aircraft carrier.
America
Since the advent of the UDC, they have become the basis of the expeditionary and amphibious capabilities of the US Navy and have become an example of imitation for the rest of the fleets of the world. In the United States, the empowerment of amphibious forces was associated with the introduction of amphibious assault boats (LCV) of the LCAC type, which began to enter the fleet in the 80s. This required an increase in the size of the ships' dock chambers. Therefore, the next series of UDC of the Wasp type with a full displacement of 41 thousand tons was built with an increased size of the dock and was considered oriented mainly for disembarking using LCAC, and not helicopters as opposed to ships of the Tarawa type. Wasp type ships, built on the basis of the Tarawa hull and preserving their architecture and helicopter capacity, received a new designation - Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). It should be noted that all foreign UDC consider the LHD type ships in the USA.
Another feature of the Wasp-type UDC was the provision of the vertical take-off and landing of the AV-8B Harrier II-type aircraft on them, which gave the ships the combat potential of light aircraft carriers. In the version with full aircraft vertical takeoff and landing, Wasp can carry up to 20 AV-8B aircraft and up to six anti-submarine helicopters. From 1989 to 2001, the American fleet received seven Wasp UDCs (LHD 1 - LHD 7), and the last, eighth ship of this type, LHD 8 Makin Island, was built according to a modified design with gas turbine power plant and put into operation in 2009 year.
Although the United States was the first to take the step in shaping the appearance of the UDC as a hybrid of the landing helicopter carrier and dock ship, on the ships of the next generation they decided to abandon this concept in its purest form. New ships of the type America, designed to replace the Tarawa and also classified as LHA (UDC), do not have a docking chamber and, in fact, returned to the type of landing helicopter carrier, although they retain significant cargo and equipment transportation capabilities. The landing of America ships is supposed to be carried out exclusively aviation in a way using MV-22B convertiplanes and CH-53K heavy transport helicopters with providing air support for AH-1Z combat helicopters and F-35B aircraft. In total, up to 23 F-35B is constantly based on the ship, and the standard air group should consist of 10 F-35B, 12 MV-22B, four CH-53K, four MN-60S and eight AH-1Z.
America type ships are the basis of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). They are planned to have 11. Each should include one UDC and two amphibious assault ships (LPD and LSD), which are assigned the main tasks for the transportation and landing of equipment. The group has on board a Marine Expeditionary Battalion. Now the US Navy has ten ESGs, each usually includes three surface warships and one atomic multi-purpose submarine.
UDC America is in many ways a development of the Wasp type ships, and its full displacement will reach 45 thousand tons, and the assault force will be 1687 people. The gas turbine power plant (EC) of the ship is similar to Makin Island UDC, but it has two additional electric motors for low speed. The lead ship of the new type LHA 6 America was handed over for testing in November 2013. An order has been issued for the construction of a second ship LHA 7 Tripoli. Originally, the construction of a new type of 11 units was planned, but the current long-term shipbuilding program includes only seven units, and probably no more than four will be built. Since there was criticism among the US naval leadership over the abandonment of the dock cell on ships of the America type, it has now been decided that the dock will be restored starting approximately from the third ship of this type.
The rest of the world
The development of the UDC subclass outside the United States began with the end of the 90-s, which was primarily due to the fundamental change after the Cold War. The Western Navy reoriented from the task of gaining dominance at sea to combat operations against the coast during expeditionary and military campaigns around the world. An important task was also participation in humanitarian missions. Given the limited economic opportunities, the new amphibious ships should have the maximum multifunctionality.
Modern non-American UDC are also considered as means of controlling expeditionary groups of forces and assets or ship formations, which is why they often have enhanced staff capabilities. In addition, in peacetime they are used as training. It is considered necessary to have on board a hospital with the possibility of a rapid increase in capacity.
France was a pioneer here, putting into operation in 2006-2012 three UDKs of the Mistral type, combining the functions of a landing helicopter carrier, dock ship and control ship, with a total displacement of 21,3 thousand tons. Ships are a kind of smaller version of the classic American UDC. This is a balanced project for specific French requirements - expeditionary ships for long-term operations in remote waters, including use as a control ship, with minimal requirements for the combat component. They have a high degree of automation, were designed to a large extent according to commercial standards, and for the first time in the world, out of large combat units, they are equipped with an electric power plant and throttle propellers. They accommodate up to 500 landing personnel in high habitat conditions (2-, 4- and 6-berth cabins), and headquarters premises can accommodate up to 200 employees. Opportunities for transportation of equipment are 110 units, including up to 13 major tanks. There is a hospital for 89 beds. The dock can accommodate four landing boats of the LCM type, or two American LAC LCACs, or two high-speed boats of the L-CAT catamaran water-cutting type. The hangar is designed for the permanent base of eight NH90 helicopters or six NH90 and four combat Tiger. The maximum helicopter capacity of 16 units is achieved when placing six more cars on regular runways on the deck.
The second European ship of the UDC subclass was the Spanish Juan Carlos I, commissioned in the 2010 year. Compared with the Mistral, it is a larger (27 thousand tons) ship with enhanced combat characteristics and much greater airborne and airborne transport capabilities. In fact, it is considered as a new light aircraft carrier, adapted for the permanent deployment of the AV-8B or F-35B aircraft and is equipped with an airborne springboard. The hangar is designed for seven F-35B, or 12 NH90 helicopters, or eight CH-47. Taking into account the seats on the flight and landing decks, the ship is able to carry up to 30 aircraft. Four landing craft of type LCM-1E or one KVP LCAC are placed in the docking chamber. The landing capacity of the Juan Carlos I is 900 man and 77 units of equipment (including up to 43 main tanks), there are staff premises for 100 man. The area of the airborne cargo decks is 6000 square meters, which is more than twice that of the Mistral. The Spanish ship has an electropower installation with propellers, but the EC includes gas turbine generators and provides a full speed to the 21,5 node.
In the 2007 project, Juan Carlos I won the Australian Navy competition for the construction of two Canberra and Adelaide UDCs with a delivery period of 2014 and 2015.
South Korea became another owner of a full-fledged UDC, introducing fleet in 2007 the ship of national construction LPH 6111 Dokdo. With a total displacement of 19 thousand tons, Dokdo has a docking chamber with two LCAC LCVs and an under-deck hangar containing up to 10 UH-60 helicopters. Landing capacity is 720 people and up to 40 pieces of equipment (including six tanks). The ship carries significant defensive weapons. Diesel EC provides a speed of up to 23 knots. UDC Dokdo, unlike others, is oriented not to overseas expeditionary, but to operations in Korean coastal waters. The fleet plans to have three such ships as the flagships of the formed strike groups. The second ship was ordered in 2012. The possibility of basing on these UDC and F-35B aircraft is being considered.
The construction of the UDC of national projects currently involves several more countries: Germany, Italy and, apparently, the PRC. In India, announced a tender for the construction of four UDC. In 2011, the customer of UDC was Russia, having signed a contract with the French shipbuilding association DCNS for the construction of two Mistral-type ships. The contract cost is 1,2 billion euros, while the actual construction is estimated at 980 million euros, while the remaining costs imply the transfer of technical documentation and licenses, training, etc. The contract parameters provided Russia with the purchase of two UDCs that are being built in France with the DCNS shipyard leading role STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire (the stern parts should be manufactured in St. Petersburg at OJSC “Baltic Shipbuilding Shipbuilding”), and an option for two more ships entirely Russian-built.
The first ordered UDC of the Mistral type - “Vladivostok” has already been launched and is to be delivered to the Ministry of Defense of Russia in the autumn of 2014, the second - “Sevastopol” is scheduled to be delivered in the autumn of 2015. Both will be part of the Pacific Fleet. Interestingly, the contracted ships were credited to the lists of the Russian Navy in January 2012, not as UDC, but as amphibious assault ship docks (DVKD).
Combat application
To date, only Tarawa, Wasp and Mistral have combat experience. The extremely wide and versatile use of French ships for solving a wide variety of tasks draws attention, despite their relatively short time in the French Navy (two from the 2007 and the third from the 2012). A special feature of the military use of UDC is their versatility - these units were used in various roles, however, never in their original quality - for the landing of significant landings.
The American UDC is traditionally actively involved as the nucleus of amphibious or naval connections in various regions of the world. They carry contingents of marines and complement aircraft carriers in operations against the coast. For example, during the Gulf War in 1991, the LHA 4 Nassau was used as a light aircraft carrier with AV-8B aircraft to support the actions of marines on land. In 1999 against Yugoslavia, LHD 3 Kearsarge was used as a control ship and at the same time a light aircraft carrier with AV-8B aircraft. Against Iraq in 2003, the same functions were performed by LHD 5 Bataan and LHD 6 Bonhomme Richard, and Kearsarge against Libya in 2011. The MV-22 converting gliders from this UDC 22 in March 2011 picked up the pilots of the F-15E American fighter-bomber that crashed during a sortie flight in Libya.
Otherwise, the main tasks of the UDC in peacetime, in addition to the “expeditionary presence”, are troop transfer, humanitarian and evacuation measures. In all these cases, they play the role of large multi-purpose high-speed transports with significant auxiliary (aviation, medical, etc.) capabilities.
The United States uses its UDC as flagship anti-piracy missions off the coast of Somalia, and their advantage remains significant helicopter air groups. The most famous episode is the release in April of 2009 of the year by special forces, parachuting from helicopters with LHD 4 Boxer, captured by the American container ship Maersk Alabama.
In connection with the upcoming commissioning of the Russian Navy two Mistral, of particular interest is the experience of the use of these ships by France. In a short period of time, the French managed to break in a variety of ways to use them. The lead ship, the L 9013 Mistral, began with the 1500 evacuation of French citizens in July of the 2006 from Beirut to the Turkish port of Mersin. In view of the crew and the landing, there were 2200 people on board. It was reported that the UDC could take a maximum of 4400 people. At the same time, Mistral delivered 650 troops and 85 wheeled vehicles, including five cannon armored vehicles AMX-10RC and 20 of VAB armored personnel carriers and light armored vehicles VBL, to the French peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon.
During the long trip to the Indian and Pacific oceans in 2008, Mistral delivered a cargo of humanitarian aid from India to Thailand for the population of Myanmar who had suffered from a cyclone (the Myanmar government did not give permission to call the ship directly into the territorial waters of the country). UDC L 9013 Mistral and L 9014 Tonnerre during Operation Harmattan, French participation in NATO military operations against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in the Libyan civil war in 2011, was most famous for the French use of both cash at that time.
The first to the coast of Libya came from Toulon 17 in May 2011, the UDC Tonnerre. On board were 19 helicopters of the French Army Aviation - 13 Gazelle, two Tiger NAR and four Puma. One Gazelle was unarmed with the SA.341F control machine, eight were equipped with ATGM HOT (SA.342M1), two were equipped with 20-mm cannons (SA.341F2), and two were Mistral air-to-air missiles. Both combat Tiger NAR staffed only had 30-mm cannon, 68-mm unguided and Mistral missiles. Equipped with ATGM Hellfire II Tiger helicopters modifications HAD by that time had not yet arrived in army aviation. Two Puma were used as search and rescue, although not carried special equipment. Tonnerre conducted military operations with his helicopters on targets in Libya from 3 June 2011 of the year, interacting with British military helicopters WAH-64D Apache, operating from the Ocean helicopter carrier.
12 July 2011 th to replace Tonnerre from Toulon to the Libyan coast arrived Mistral, on board which flew from 12 to 14 July helicopter air group. As a result, 20 helicopters were deployed on the ship, with two Puma being replaced with specialized CSAR Caracal machines. July 17 Tonnerre departed to Toulon and returned to Libya to replace the Mistral 9 of September, also with the transfer of the air group from Mistral. For ten days, both French UDCs acted together until September’s Mistral 18 went to Toulon. In October, additional search and rescue support was provided by three Tonnerre-based American HH-60 helicopters. A hospital was also deployed at Tonnerre, and he returned to his homeland on October 25 2011, after the complete victory of the opposition in Libya and the death of Gaddafi.
In total, during the period of hostilities in Libya, 23 French helicopters operated from both UDCs. 43 group sorties were made, a total of 316 helicopter flights with 1115 hours of flight. SA.342M1 Gazelle helicopters launched 425 (according to other sources - 431) ATGM NOTET, and Tiger HAP - 1618 millimeters of unguided rockets of 68 caliber and three Mistral missiles on ground targets. Both types of machines also fired 13,5 thousands of 20-mm and 30-mm projectiles from cannons. They worked almost exclusively at night using round-the-clock search and aiming systems. It was claimed defeat 600 targets, including 400 vehicles. At the same time, French helicopters did not suffer any losses.
Taking into account the active use of Mistral in the French fleet as control ships, the experience of the creators shows that the Russian Navy in the person of Vladivostok and Sevastopol, with a responsible approach to their operation, can get really valuable and multi-purpose units.
Information