Omani ship Nasr al Bahr
 Nasr al Bahr operating with HMS Monmouth
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Oman | |
| Name | Nasr al Bahr |
| Ordered | 18 March 1982 |
| Builder | Brooke Marine, Lowestoft |
| Laid down | May 1982 |
| Launched | 16 May 1984 |
| Commissioned | 13 February 1985 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Brooke Marine 93 m amphibious warfare ship |
| Displacement | 2,500 t (2,500 long tons) (full) |
| Length | 93 m (305 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power | 7,800 bhp (5,800 kW) |
| Propulsion | Two Paxman Valenta diesel engines, two shafts |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Range | 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) at 13 knots (24 km/h) |
| Complement | 84 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aviation facilities | Facilities for 1 helicopter up to a Westland Sea King |
Nasr al Bahr is an amphibious warfare vessel operated by the Royal Navy of Oman. The ship was a larger follow-on to Al Munassir with greater capability with the capacity to carry up to 650 t (640 long tons; 720 short tons) of cargo, including up to seven main battle tanks and 240 troops. The vessel was fitted with a large bow ramp that can enable disembarkation on a gradient up to 1:40. Armament included two twin 40 mm (1.6 in) guns that fired shells designed to combat anti-ship missiless. Launched in 1985, the ship had been upgraded, including adding a traditional funnel in 1992, but an attempt at a more significant upgrade of systems in 1995 failed. Nasr al Bahr took part in large military exercises between the United Kingdom and Oman, including Exercise Saif Sareea in 1996 and Exercise Khanjar Haad in 2011.
Design and development
[edit]Nasr al Bahr was ordered from Brooke Marine by the government of Oman as a follow-on to the smaller Al Munassir.[1] The design was similar to the Kalaat Beni Hammed class ordered by the Algerian National Navy and the ships are considered to be of the same class, although they differ in details like their powerplant and sensors.[2] They are collectively known as Brooke Marine 93 m amphibious warfare ships.[3]
Nasr al Bahr displaced 2,500 metric tons (2,500 long tons) and had an overall length of 93 m (305 ft 1 in) and 80 m (262 ft 6 in) between perpendiculars The ship's beam was 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in) and mean draught was 2.3 m (7.5 ft). The ship's complement consisted of 13 officers, 16 chief petty officers and 52 other enlisted ranks.[4] The vessel was powered by two Paxman Valenta 18RP200CM diesel engines which drove two constant pitch propellers. They were rated at a combined power of 7,800 bhp (5,800 kW). In service, the ship was rated at 15.5 knots (29 km/h; 18 mph) and had sufficient fuel to cruise for 4,000 nanometres (4.0×10−9 km) at 13 kilotonnes (13,000 long tons; 14,000 short tons). The ship had an endurance of 28 days, although this was reduced to 10 days when carrying troops.[5] When the vessel entered service, there were problems with the exhaust system, which was split with some gases being ejected underwater. A solution was found in 1992 with the introduction of a traditional funnel.[6] The ship was fitted with three diesel auxiliary engines with a combined output of 180 kW (240 hp).[7]
Equipped with a gun-only armament, Nasr al Bahr carried two twin Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) L/70 guns in Breda DARDO mounts and two single Oerlikon 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons in GAM B01 mounts.[5] The former weapon, also known as the Compact Forty, fired High Explosive (HE) shells at a rate of 600 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 1,025 m (3,363 ft) per second. They could also fire Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) rounds at a muzzle velocity of 1,350 m (4,430 ft) per second; these shells were designed to destroy incoming anti-ship missiless.[8] The Oerlikon cannons were very similar to weapons used in the Second World War and fired rounds at 1000 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 1,050 m (3,440 ft) per second.[9] The vessel was also equipped with a helipad aft that could accommodate a helicopter up to the size of a Westland Sea King.[2]
For sensors, the ship was fitted with a Decca TM 1226 sea search and navigational radar and a Decca 1290 navigational radar.[3] A single CSEE Lynx electro-optical fire control system was fitted.[10] This was later complemented with a Erricson 9LV 200 fire control radar.[5] A Decca Radar Detecting and Locating system, RDL-2, was included to provide electronic support measures (ESM).[11] A single Kelvin Hughes MS 45 echo sounder was fitted.[3] The ship was equipped with two Wallop Barricade decoy launchers.[4] Each fired 57 mm (2.2 in) chaff and flare rockets.[12] Oman had been the launch customer for the Barricade.[13]
The vessel was designed to transport up to 380 t (370 long tons; 420 short tons) of cargo or seven main battle tanks, plus a number of landing craft.[3] This was later extended to a maximum load that could be landed of 450 t (440 long tons; 500 short tons), increasing to 650 t (640 long tons; 720 short tons) for a cargo that that was solely to be transported and did not need to be beached. In terms of personnel, the ship could carry a landing force that included 13 officers, 16 non-commissioned officers and 211 other enlisted ranks. The vehicle deck measured 76 m (249 ft) by 7.4 m (24 ft) and was equipped with a cargo hatch that measured 30 m (98 ft) by 7 m (23 ft). Vehicles and personnel could disembark from a bow ramp that was 18 m (59 ft) long and 4.5 m (15 ft) wide. A stern ramp was also fitted that measured 5 m (16 ft) in length and 4 m (13 ft) in width. The tanks could be disembarked onto land on a gradient that could be up to 1:40. A 16 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons) crane was fitted forward that could move around to enable the cargo deck to be unloaded. Two Sea Truck landing craft were carried.[14]
Construction and career
[edit]Ordered on 18 March 1982, Nasr al Bahr was laid down by Brooke Marine at their shipyard in Lowestoft in May that year, launched on 16 May 1984 and commissioned into service on 13 February 1985.[5] The ship carried the pendant number L.2.[15] Given the small nature of the Royal Omani Navy, officially known as the Sultan of Oman's Navy until June 1990, the ship has been involved in a range of activities.[16] Key to this is supporting Oman's strategically important islands, including Masirah Island.[17] The warship participated in Exercise Saif Sareea, a large military exercise between the United Kingdom and Oman that took place between 15 November and 8 December 1986.[18] Between 29 May and 1 June 1990, the ship paid a visit to Goa.[19]
An attempt to upgrade the ship's systems in 1995 failed although the aft Oerlikon mount was removed in 1996 to improve stability.[6] On resuming active service, the ship spent more time in dock than at sea. Nonetheless, a study in 2005 found, during the year, Nasr al Bahr was at sea for 52 days, which compared very favourably with the rest of the fleet, which ranged from 23 to 75 days at sea during the period, excluding two outliers.[20] The vessel took part in an Exercise Khanjar Haad in 10 May 2011. This exercise involves ships of the Royal Omani Navy working with the navies of other countries, including the Royal Navy, French Navy and US Navy.[21]
Citation
[edit]- ^ Sharpe 1994, p. 471.
- ^ a b Cowin 1986, p. 169.
- ^ a b c d Cowin 1987, p. 180.
- ^ a b Couhat 1986, p. 429.
- ^ a b c d Wertheim 2005, p. 526.
- ^ a b Sobanski 2004, p. 53.
- ^ Abdul-Whahab 2010, p. 165.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 438.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 456.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 291.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 531.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 534.
- ^ Friedman 1997, p. 535.
- ^ Couhat 1986, p. 430.
- ^ Śmigielski 1995, p. 297.
- ^ Ehlers 1993, p. 59.
- ^ Sobanski 2004, p. 49.
- ^ Fursdon 1987, p. 45.
- ^ Hiranandani 2005, p. 42.
- ^ Abdul-Whahab 2010, p. 166.
- ^ Stenberg, Kevin. "U.S., Oman, France and U.K. Commence Exercise Khunjar Haad". U.S. Central Command. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021.
Bibliography
[edit]- Abdul-Whahab, Sabah A. (2010). "Maritime Oil Transport and Pollution Prevention". In Kutz, Myer; Elkamel, Ali (eds.). Environmentally Conscious Fossil Energy Production. Hoboken NJ: Wiley. pp. 143–172. doi:10.1002/9780470432747.ch4. ISBN 978-0-47023-301-6.
- Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-85368-860-0.
- Cowin, Hugh W. (1986). Conway's Directory of Modern Naval Power 1986. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 978-0-85177-362-9.
- Cowin, Hugh W. (1987). Warships. London: Frederick Warne. ISBN 978-0-72321-694-0.
- Ehlers, Hartmut (1993). "The Royal Navy of Oman". Warship International. 30 (1): 59–71.
- Friedman, Norman (1997). The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapons systems, 1997–1998. Annapolis MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-268-1.
- Fursdon, Edward (January 1987). "Exercise Saif Sareea". The Army Quarterly and Defence Journal. 117 (1): 44–47.
- Hiranandani, Gulab Mohanlal (2005). Transition to Eminence: History of the Indian Navy, 1976–1990. New Delhi: Lancer Publishers. ISBN 978-8-17062-266-6.
- Sharpe, Richard (1994). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1994–95. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-71061-161-1.
- Śmigielski, Adam (1995). "Oman". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 296–299. ISBN 978-1-55750-132-5.
- Sobanski, Maciej S. (2004). "Marynarka Wojenna Omanu" [Omani Navy]. Okręty Wojenne. 67 (5): 48–54.
- Wertheim, Eric (2005). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 2005–2006: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. Annapolis MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-934-7.