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BACH Escotillón IV LPD

The “Escotillón IV” ["hatchway"] project, which aims to build units in the country that will replace the Chilean Navy's Amphibious and Transport Command backbone over the next few years : the Batral “Rancagua” and "Chacabuco" class Batrals, and "Aquiles" transport, all of which date from the 1980s, with the obsolescence problems associated with ships with more than 30 years of service and intense operational life.

In the context of the online conference “Naval Construction as a path to National Development”, which was held at the end of September 2020, within the framework of the Third Meeting of Public Innovation Innovapolinav 2020, organized by the Naval Polytechnic Academy, the commander-in-chief of The Chilean Navy, Admiral Julio Leiva, confirmed that the Escotillón IV transport ship construction project will include a fourth unit that will replace the multipurpose ship Sargento Aldea.

According to the Infodefensa.com portal, on the occasion the highest authority of the Chilean navy anticipated that “today we have already started the project to replace the Aquiles, Sargento Aldea and the Batral Barges to be replaced by multipurpose units designed for our specific needs and requirements, among other capacities to operate in Antarctica in the summer ”, to the Spanish media in a report by Nicolás García.

The Navy carried out in 2019 the consolidation of the High Level Requirements (RAN) of the Escotillón IV project, while Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada (Asmar) developed the technical specification of requirements for the bidding of the basic design of the ships, preselecting the three international firms that are currently participating in the tender that will determine the chosen model.

Thus, according to what was stated by Infodefensa.com, "the construction of these vessels will be carried out at the Asmar Talcahuano industrial plant once the Almirante Óscar Viel icebreaker project ends in 2023", and which is under construction with a 40% progress. In his speech, the high official also pointed out that “we propose to contribute to the development of the country through naval construction in Chile in order to provide the ships that the Navy requires for the fulfillment of the permanent missions that the State entrusts to it in order to having the first unit floating, that's why you have to start well in advance and advance gradually ”.

According to what is described by Infodefensa.com, the execution of the Escotillón IV project constitutes for the Chilean Navy a key piece in this program. "We need to maintain our shipyard by advancing in our constructions of less demanding ships than frigates, but at the same time complex to continue capitalizing on experience and give us the time to prepare the replacement of warships," Leiva said to that medium.

The commander-in-chief of the Navy, Julio Leiva, expressed his confidence in reaching the goal of building frigates in the country. "We firmly believe that this idea is very good for the country and we believe that it should be of great interest to various productive and academic sectors," he stated. We are sure, Leiva added, “that it will definitely contribute to protecting and developing our maritime interests and will also contribute to national development by adding value to our production processes, which will benefit many compatriots. It is what is called a win win situation ”, he closed.

Vard Marine Inc. was awarded the contract to design an Amphibious and Military Transport Vessel for the Chilean Navy by ASMAR Shipbuilding & Ship Repair Company on 01 February 2021. The ships will be constructed at the ASMAR shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile. These multi-role vessels will be capable of operating throughout the Pacific and Southern Ocean with services to include logistic support, search and rescue (SAR) missions, troop and asset movement and deployment, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

The new vessel will be based on existing Vard Series 7 designs and will be specially adapted to the specific requirements of the Chilean Navy, incorporating the latest generation of integrated well-dock systems enabling the carriage and deployment of a wide range of containerized and vehicle cargo, landing craft, helicopters and rescue boats, for logistics, SAR and HADR missions.

The VARD 7 411 is a multi-purpose logistics vessel designed as a flexible platform to aid in force projection, maritime special operations, EEZ patrol, and humanitarian assistance. The vessel has significant capabilities for off-loading heavy equipment, carrying cargo, transporting troops, launching boats, and supporting aviation.

An internal ro-ro deck accommodates a variety of equipment including tanks, trucks, and ISO containers which can be efficiently loaded from a pier via ramps on the stern and vessel’s side. Two full-breadth cargo holds located beneath the ro-ro deck provide extra storage capacity, while protected areas forward house expansive troop accommodations providing safe and comfortable passage for embarked personnel.

Large open deck areas on each side of the vessel provide secure stowage for two 15 m landing craft and two 11 m RHIBs. Aviation facilities include a flight deck capable of landing two medium lift helicopters and a hangar accommodating four. Expansive medical facilities are readily accessible from the flight and boat decks. Substantial internal area is dedicated to configurable offices and operations areas to support missions.

Wade Carson, President of Vard Marine Inc., said: “This program will be our fourth successful collaboration with ASMAR, including the design of the venerable AP 41 Aquiles, one of the vessels that, after an accomplished and storied career, the Escotillón IV Program will replace. Vard Marine has a long and successful history of designing specialized vessels tailored to meet unique combinations of user requirements and operational environments. This contract award is an important step in further solidifying Vard Marine’s standing in the global naval market as a proven designer of client-focused specialized multi-role vessels. We very much look forward to working with our friends at ASMAR Shipbuilding & Ship Repair Company in bringing a vital capability to the Armada de Chile.”

Vard Marine is a consulting naval architecture and marine engineering company with Canadian operations located in Vancouver and Ottawa, and American operations located in Houston, Texas. The company offers professional ship design, engineering, and shipbuilding technology services. ASMAR is a Chilean state-owned company, operating in the shipbuilding and defence industries, whose main activity is to provide maintenance and repair services for the Chilean Navy, and for domestic and foreign vessels. In conjunction with this, ASMAR builds self-propelled and non-self-propelled vessels for the Navy and other customers. For this purpose, the Company is organized in three industrial plants located in Valparaiso, Talcahuano and Punta Arenas, with Corporate Headquarters located in Valparaiso.