MHD 150 / MRD-150: Amphibious and Sealift

In 2006, Thyssen Krupp Marine System (TKMS) launched several new products, including MEKO-CSL (Combat Ship for the Littorals - CSL ) belonging to the MEKO family of near-shore operations frigates, and MHD/MRD-150 series of amphibious ships. MHD/MRD follows the MEKO modular system architecture, and can give customers a large selection of flexibility. The MHD-150 helicopter assault ships are a combination TKMS MEKO modular concepts and ro-ro ship design.

For special auxiliaries, Nordseewerke Emden is the competence center of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems due to the long-lasting experience in combining merchant and naval shipbuilding technologies. The December 2004 tsunami disaster and earthquakes on Sumatra shiffted focus to disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. One of the the challenges, which recently became therefore apprent to navies, is the capability to sealift and deploy vehicles, materials and personal in a short time and sizable number.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems developed the MHD 150 as a versatile and multi-functional systems for such military and civil purposes. The Multi Role Helicopter Dock Ship's general design is based on a dockship capable of carrying two LCUs or howercraft. Its vehicle deck has about 800 lane meters, an extended helicopter deck with five landing pads, a landing pad on the main deck aft and a hangar for 11 helicopters (NH90-type) with ample space for service and maintenance. The MHD 150 can transport and support over 750 fully equipped troops and their vehicles and armament. The amphibious units are either of LCU type MK10 or a LCAC hovercraft type and two type MK6 landing craft mechanised LCM(T) wich are stowed in a recess, port and starboard, on Deck 01. Further ample space in/for Hospital is availiable.

MHD-150 has a total of six helicopters, Stern deck can be used to transport containers in taking off and landing of the first order. MHD-150 is a general formula for the helicopter flight deck assault ships, MRD-150 is able to pick up various landing vehicle transport vehicles and multipurpose ro/dock ship (Multi Role Dock Ship), both of which are capable of using helicopter, enter/exit the vehicle deck, and amphibious vehicles, such as a variety of ways, troops, equipment and supplies delivered to go ashore. The MHD-150 is focused on helicopter operations, and MRD-150 is focused on material loading capacity of vehicles.

The MHD-150 has a displacement of 15,000ton, 182m in length, overall width 26.5M, draws 6m, with 776 troops carried on the ship, power system for the diesel engine, dual-shaft, and the maximum speed 22 knots, range of 8,000 nautical miles when the speed of 15 knots. It has a transverse auxiliary propulsion in the bow, and stern transverse stability can be maintained when the docking point for loading and unloading operation. The MHD-150 has a flight deck 126m long, with the ship's island on the ship's starboard, a large hangar is at full length below the flight deck, with elevator capacity 25 tons to conveying helicopters. In addition, the ship's stern also has a full length flight deck below the level of the main helicopter deck, from which helicopters can by move directly. This lower take off and landing deck can also be used to place large containers.

The MHD-150 of the general formula for the flight deck of the ship-wide front to the rear of the ship, with five helicopters, coupled with a stern deck, ship-wide total of six helicopters, can operate simultaneously up to 4 EH-101 heavy helicopters and 2 NH-90 medium helicopters; for helicopter assault ships, 15000ton, is taking off and landing to be very efficient configuration. The MHD-150 on the lower hangar deck can accommodate 9 NH-90 medium transport helicopter, or accommodate 54 standard containers. Below the hangar is equipped with entrance/exit function (Roll in/Roll out), garage, deck, in addition to placing vehicles, can also be changed to accommodate 40 standard containers, and the parking deck in the stern docking compartment; a RORO ship the side doors, vehicles can directly from the Terminal to enter/exit warship of the garage.

For humanitarian and rescue tasks, the hangar deck and garage MHD-150 can also install the appropriate module and be converted into a naval hospitals or refugees in asylum space. Hangar structure Terminal hosting an LCU landing craft personnel on each side, below the helicopter deck on each side will also host a cargo boat, Stern has a docking compartment, which can hold LCU personnel, LCM mechanical landing boat LCAC air cushion landing craft. Ships tail-docking doors with upper and lower opening, only when you opened the following, for a vehicle to proceed directly, as an additional Stern vehicles allowed to enter/exit points. End of the equation right side of the deck is equipped with a large cranes, material handling operations for the LC. Due to the parking deck in front of the docking spaces, with a layer of hangar lane directly connected, MHD-150 has great flexibility in the application of internal space. The stern deck landing allows easy access for vehicle loading and unloading of containers, vehicles and goods for storage in the garage or in the hangar, also can directly be loaded in the hold by vehicles.

The MHD-150 main multifunctional radar reconnaissance equipment, includes a 3D, 2D graphic search/navigation radar, two electro-optical fire control systems and electronic warfare systems; self arming, bow can be installed in a 76mm sort of caliber gun, front of the bridge you can set a group of eight mounted vertically launched short-range air defense missiles, such as loading ESSM, in addition the ship set aside four device small-caliber machine gun position, respectively, both sides of the landing deck on both sides of the front-end and the stern.