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Size matters Australia’s new LHDs are very big ships.
Big Ships, Big Challenge
In 2014-2015, the Royal Australian Navy plans to commission two Amphibious Assault Ships, also known as LHDs (Landing Helicopter Dock). Named HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, at around 30,700 short tons displacement they will be the biggest warships the RAN has ever operated. By comparison, the service’s last aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne, which was paid-off in 1982, displaced a mere 17,630 short tons.
In other words, Australia’s new LHDs are very big ships. The capabilities they will bring to the ADF, and the implications inherent in their deployment, mean that they will also bring very big challenges.
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