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HMAS Wewak (L 130)
Encyclopedia
HMAS Wewak (L 130) is the fifth ship of the Balikpapan class of heavy landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
operated by the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN).
Design and construction
The eight-vessel Balikpapan class was ordered as a locally-manufactured replacement for the Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
's LSM-1 class landing ship medium
LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium
The LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium were a class of landing ships built for the United States Navy during World War II.The class commenced with the construction of LSM-1 on 5 May 1944 and continued on through the construction and commissioning of LSM-500 on 17 May 1945.This class was replaced,...
and ALC 50
ALC 50
The Australian Landing Craft 50 or ALC 50 was a class of Landing Craft Utility operated by the Australian Army. The two ALC 50s were built in Devonport, Tasmania and were probably completed in 1960. During their service with the Army they were named AB 3000 and AB 3001. The ALC 50s were replaced by...
landing craft. They are 44.5 metres (146 ft) long, with a beam of 10.1 metres (33.1 ft), and a draught of 1.9 metres (6.2 ft). The landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
have a standard displacement of 316 tons, with a full load displacement of 503 tons. They are propelled by two G.M. Detroit 6-71 diesel motors, providing 675 brake horsepower to the two propeller shafts, allowing the vessels to reach 9 knots (4.9 m/s). The standard ship's company is 13-strong. The Balikpapans are equipped with a Decca RM 916 navigational radar, and fitted with two 7.62 millimetre (0.3 in) machine guns for self-defence.
The LCHs have a maximum payload of 180 tons; equivalent to 3 Leopard 1 tanks, 13 M113 armored personnel carrier
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
s 23 quarter-tonne trucks, or four LARC-V
LARC-V
LARC-V , is an aluminium-hulled amphibious cargo vehicle capable of transporting 5 tons. It was developed in the United States during the 1950s, and is used in a variety of auxiliary roles to this day....
amphibious cargo vehicles. As a troop transport, a Balikpapan class vessel can transport up to 400 soldiers between a larger amphibious ship and the shore, or embark 60 soldiers in six-berth caravans for longer voyages. The vessel's payload affects the range: at 175 tons of cargo, each vessel has a range of 1300 nautical miles (2,407.6 km), which increases to 2280 nautical miles (4,222.6 km) with a 150-ton payload, and 3000 nautical miles (5,556 km) when unladen. The flat, box-like keel causes the ships to roll considerably in other-than-calm conditions, limiting their ability to make long voyages.
Wewak was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
in March 1972, launched on 18 May 1972, and commissioned into the RAN on 10 August 1974.