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LST 207 Endurance-class - Design

Endurance-class tank landing ships (LST) have been referred to by at least three standard naval designations. The Endurance ships were introduced in 1998 as LSTs, but are referred to by naval authorities as Landing Platform Docks (LPD), as they have a well dock aft for four Fast Craft Utility water-jet propelled landing craft. During Operation Flying Eagle (OFE), the Boxing Day tsunami relief mission off Sumatra in Dec 2004/Jan 2005, the three Endurance ships deployed for the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief mission were referred to as Helicopter Support Ships.

In the United States Navy:

• Landing Ship, Tank [LST] are ships designed primarily for transporting tanks, bulldozers, road-building equipment, artillery, and general cargo. They offload cargo by means of a bow ramp, either through doors in the bow or later with a ramp over the bows. Later designs also included a stern gate that allowed offloading amphibious vehicles directly into the water.
• The Landing Ship, Dock (LSD) deleted the bow ramp, though it retained the stern gate that allowed offloading amphibious vehicles directly into the water.
• The Amphibious Transport, Dock (LPD) retained the stern gate that allowed offloading amphibious vehicles directly into the water, and added a helicopter flight deck deck.

The LPD operated by the USN do not have the forward ramp-door opening that allow "Roll-on and Roll-off" (RoRo) access, unlike the LST Endurance class built by ST Engineering Marine. Although ST Engineering followed the LPD design, she prefer to call the new Endurance Class an LST.

1. As with a traditional, Landing Ship, Tank [LST], the bow is fitted with a door/ramp capable of transloading tracked and wheeled vehicles of up to MLC 60 onto the tank deck.
2. The LST allows the RSN to transport equipment easily and ferry personnel efficiently to shore via the well dock. The stern of the ship is equipped with a wide stern door/ramp for the deployment of up to four various types of landing craft from a dock facility at the aft. Amphibious landing craft can roll out from the stern while the ship is underway. It doesn't have to stop and broadcast its intent to the beach it would be assaulting. Conventional landing craft can be carried and the mission can be staged from within the well dock. The well dock can flood down to enable landing craft to drive in and out of the ship. The ship partially submerges to fill the well dock and the landing craft can float out. No more climbing down the side of the ship in rope ladders or nets to smaller craft in pitching seas. With a well dock, small vessels such as the Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEP) can easily be deployed, so that the water-jet propelled landing craft can "swim" directly into it. The well dock is designed to minimise the effect of waves on the operability and safety of the equipment. It is the first time that the RSN is able to transfer equipment and personnel to shore using the well dock concept.
3. There are two 25-ton capacity deck cranes for loading and unloading of equipment. The Singapore Navy Endurance Class LST carry its LCU as Life Boats.
4. The flight deck and hangar can conduct helicopter operations and can land two medium-size Super Puma helicopters simultaneously using the automatic helicopter landing system. The system allows the helicopters to land safely even in choppy seas. The advanced helicopter landing system, integrated on the ship by DSTA, allows the LST to carry out helicopter operations in the day and at night, even in difficult sea conditions. ASIST stands for Aircraft Ship Integrated Securing and Traverse System. With the ASIST, helicopters will have a easier landing onboard the LSTs. It allows a helicopter pilot to have a visual indication of his helicopter relative to the designated landing area. A Rapid Securing Device will locate a probe beneath the helicopter and secure it.

The new LSTs are larger and faster than their predecessors, with a wide array of high-tech equipment and combat systems installed. The innovative design of the hull form enhances the mobility of the vessel. The new generation of LSTs were about 40% larger (141m in length x 21m in beam x 4m draft) and traveled at almost twice the speed of the older ex-County Class LSTs that they replaced. The Endurance-class also features an almost 50% reduction in manning requirements. The Endurance-class is fitted with a range of anti-surface and anti-air warfare capabilities for self defence, including an OTOBreda 76/62 Super Rapid Naval Gun and Matra BAe Dynamics' Mistral surface-to-air missile system.

With the LST, the operational capabilities and effectiveness of the RSN are greatly enhanced. The LST is equipped with many advanced features such as the cockpit-like Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and the Ship Control, Monitoring System (SCMMS), which enhance the automation of ship navigation and control. With the installation of these computerised features, a smaller crew is required to operate the LST. These features have helped to reduce the number of people required to operate the LST from 130 to just 65.

With IBS, a smaller crew is required to sail the vessel. The bridge console is designed like a plane's cockpit so that one operator is able to access all the equipment such as the Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS), Navigational Radar and the communications equipment for safe navigation. Manoeuvring of the ship is made easy with the installation of a ship control system with joystick for steering. The ship can berth without the assistance of tugboats.

The Ship Control, Monitoring and Management System (SCMMS) automatically controls, manages and monitors the 'health' of the ship systems. No manual check on the equipment is required. The system will send warning signals to alert the crew in the event of any malfunction of the equipment. From a single console, one operator can control and monitor all systems and equipment. The integrated wireless communication system, yet with the same features found in wired means, allows the crew to communicate from anywhere aboard. Commercial computer technologies such as the use of high-speed fibre-optics computer networks for real-time information exchange and voice communication are implemented.

The on-line computers provide real-time monitoring on the stability and 'health' of the vessel. Any malfunction of equipment or hazard will be detected early. A comprehensive fire protection system is installed. It incorporates automatic water and foam sprinkler system, pop-up nozzles at the flight deck, FM200 fire-fighting gas, fire hydrants and portable fire extinguishers. The LST is also the first RSN vessel to use a Low Level Lighting (LLL) system. In the event of a blackout, the LLL system can provide guidance to the various designated safety areas.

A forwardly projecting bulb is disposed at the bow. This prominent bow bulb may interfere with beaching. Many vessels are provided with a bow bulb in order to reduce hull resistance. The bulb is generally submerged when the vessel is fully loaded, but in some designs, especially in tankers, the bulb is designed so its upper periphery projects above the water-line, when the ship is in ballasted condition. Among the goals sought to be reached in the design of large boats, such as support vessels for offshore petroleum operations for example, is the maximization of propulsion efficiency in order to reduce fuel costs and increase the bollard pull. One factor having major impact upon propulsion efficiency is the configuration of the hull of the vessel. A typical hull includes a bow formed by side walls which diverge rearwardly and eventually assume a generally parallel relationship. It is conventional to provide a bulb at the bow to reduce hull resistance during a ballasted condition of the ship.