iscover
The RAN’s new amphibious ship, the Landing Ship Dock (LSD) HMAS Choules, sailed into its new homeport of Sydney on December 21.
“It was terrific to see her sail through Sydney Harbour flying the White Ensign for the first time,” Commander of Australian Fleet, RADM Steve Gilmore said.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Originally commissioned into service with the UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2006 as RFA Largs Bay, HMAS Choules will bolster Australia’s amphibious capability for operations and humanitarian support in our region, leading up to the arrival of the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships in 2014 and 2015. The ship has been named after the former Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules, who passed away in May 2011 at the age of 110. A veteran of World Wars One and Two, Choules served as a member of both the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy.
Defence says the 176m long Choules has “a cargo capacity the equivalent of HMA Ships Manoora, Kanimbla and Tobruk combined,” capable of carrying “two large helicopters such as Seahawks and Black Hawks, 150 light trucks and 350 troops.” It has a crew of 158 officers and sailors.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
