.gif)
HMS Bulwark (L15)
Encyclopedia
HMS Bulwark is an , the UK
's newest class of amphibious assault
warship
and built in Barrow-in-Furness
, Cumbria
. For numerous reasons, delays caused the delivery date to be put back, with the ship entering service in December 2004. Together with Albion
, Ocean
, and other amphibious ships, she provides a much-improved and potent amphibious capability for the Royal Navy
. In October 2011 she became the Flagship of the Royal Navy.
The 64 metre flight deck is able to take two Sea King
HC4 medium-lift helicopters and stow a third. The deck can also support two Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, one down the side of the flight deck and one at the rear of the flight deck. Though the Albion design does not have a hangar, the ship has sufficient equipment to support helicopter operations.
The ship also supports a permanently embarked Marine landing craft unit, 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.
She is not entirely centred around aircraft operations, more around operating many smaller boats for sending large numbers of troops to shore as quickly as possible. The rear of the Bulwark opens and floods a compartment, allowing boats inside to be launched.
HMS Bulwark was launched at the BAE Systems
shipyard
at Barrow-in-Furness
on 15 November 2001.
At the start of the summer of 2006 Bulwark was near Spain
. Due to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis, on 15 July 2006 she was ordered to divert to Lebanon
and to support operations evacuating British citizens from the conflict area. On 20 July, she evacuated approximately 1,300 people from Beirut in the biggest British evacuation. On completion of her extended deployment the ship returned to the United Kingdom. At the start of June 2007 Bulwark was berthed at Sunderland on the River Wear
.
In October 2008 Bulwark was at the Tail of the Bank
in the Firth of Clyde
together with Ark Royal
and the French ship Tonnerre
, taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior 2008
.
On 18 February 2009 Bulwark sailed from Devonport
as flagship
to Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, Commodore Peter Hudson, on the Taurus 09 deployment. She was joined by Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) Ocean
, Type 23 frigate
s Argyll
and Somerset
and four ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
.
In Spring 2010 she entered a six-month refit at HMNB Devonport No. 8 dock.
In March 2011 she rejoined the fleet and will take over as Fleet Flagship from her sister ship Albion later in 2011. She made a five-day visit to London on 16 March 2011.
Bulwark undertook Operational Sea Training
at the end of June 2011 in preparation to take up the role of fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. Bulwark is on standby as leading ship of the UK's recently formed Response Force Task Group. In October she participated in Exercise Joint Warrior in Loch Eriboll
, the largest war games staged in the UK, involving the French Marines and other NATO forces.
Bulwark is due to be withdrawn from its current role and enter extended readiness in 2016 when it will switch roles with HMS Albion (L14)
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's newest class of amphibious assault
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
warship
Naval ship
A naval ship is a ship used for combat purposes, commonly by a navy. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose...
and built in Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. For numerous reasons, delays caused the delivery date to be put back, with the ship entering service in December 2004. Together with Albion
HMS Albion (L14)
HMS Albion is a Landing Platform Dock of the Royal Navy, the first of the two-ship Albion class. Built by BAE Systems Marine in Barrow-in-Furness, Albion was launched in March 2001 by the Princess Royal...
, Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
, and other amphibious ships, she provides a much-improved and potent amphibious capability for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. In October 2011 she became the Flagship of the Royal Navy.
The 64 metre flight deck is able to take two Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
HC4 medium-lift helicopters and stow a third. The deck can also support two Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, one down the side of the flight deck and one at the rear of the flight deck. Though the Albion design does not have a hangar, the ship has sufficient equipment to support helicopter operations.
The ship also supports a permanently embarked Marine landing craft unit, 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.
She is not entirely centred around aircraft operations, more around operating many smaller boats for sending large numbers of troops to shore as quickly as possible. The rear of the Bulwark opens and floods a compartment, allowing boats inside to be launched.
HMS Bulwark was launched at the BAE Systems
BAE Systems Marine
BAE Systems Marine Ltd. was the shipbuilding subsidiary of BAE Systems, formed in 1999, which manufactured the full range of naval ships; nuclear submarines, frigates, destroyers, amphibious ships....
shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
at Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
on 15 November 2001.
Service history
Bulwark departed the UK in January 2006 for a six-month East of Suez maiden deployment. She conducted counter-terrorist and counter-piracy tasks in waters off the Horn of Africa. Bulwark then headed for the northern Persian Gulf to become the flagship of Task Force 158, providing security for Iraqi oil platforms.At the start of the summer of 2006 Bulwark was near Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Due to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis, on 15 July 2006 she was ordered to divert to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and to support operations evacuating British citizens from the conflict area. On 20 July, she evacuated approximately 1,300 people from Beirut in the biggest British evacuation. On completion of her extended deployment the ship returned to the United Kingdom. At the start of June 2007 Bulwark was berthed at Sunderland on the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
.
In October 2008 Bulwark was at the Tail of the Bank
Tail of the Bank
The Tail of the Bank is the name given to the anchorage in the upper Firth of Clyde immediately north of Greenock and Gourock. This area of the firth gets its name from the sandbar immediately to its east which marks the entrance to the estuary of the River Clyde.The Tail of the Bank was a...
in the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
together with Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (R07)
HMS Ark Royal is a decommissioned light aircraft carrier and former flagship of the Royal Navy. She was the third and final vessel of Invincible-class...
and the French ship Tonnerre
Tonnerre (L9014)
The Tonnerre is an amphibious assault helicopter carrier of the French Navy. She is the eighth vessel to bear the name and the second ship in the Mistral class amphibious assault ships....
, taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior 2008
Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration
The Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration began in 1994 as the Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration . Since 1994, the program has evolved into a coalition program and the name was changed in 2004 to reflect this new trend. U.S...
.
On 18 February 2009 Bulwark sailed from Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
to Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, Commodore Peter Hudson, on the Taurus 09 deployment. She was joined by Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
, Type 23 frigate
Type 23 frigate
The Type 23 frigate is a class of frigate built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. All the ships were first named after British Dukes, thus the class is also known as the Duke class. The first Type 23 was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, was launched in May 2000 and commissioned in...
s Argyll
HMS Argyll (F231)
The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991...
and Somerset
HMS Somerset (F82)
HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy.Somerset is the eleventh of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the River Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and...
and four ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
.
In Spring 2010 she entered a six-month refit at HMNB Devonport No. 8 dock.
In March 2011 she rejoined the fleet and will take over as Fleet Flagship from her sister ship Albion later in 2011. She made a five-day visit to London on 16 March 2011.
Bulwark undertook Operational Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training is a Royal Navy training organisation responsible for ensuring that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels are fit to join the operational fleet. FOST certifies crews and vessels as being sufficiently prepared for any eventuality through rigorous exercises and...
at the end of June 2011 in preparation to take up the role of fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. Bulwark is on standby as leading ship of the UK's recently formed Response Force Task Group. In October she participated in Exercise Joint Warrior in Loch Eriboll
Loch Eriboll
Loch Eriboll is a long sea loch on the north coast of Scotland, which has been used for centuries as a deep water anchorage as it is safe from the often stormy seas of Cape Wrath and the Pentland Firth...
, the largest war games staged in the UK, involving the French Marines and other NATO forces.
Bulwark is due to be withdrawn from its current role and enter extended readiness in 2016 when it will switch roles with HMS Albion (L14)
HMS Albion (L14)
HMS Albion is a Landing Platform Dock of the Royal Navy, the first of the two-ship Albion class. Built by BAE Systems Marine in Barrow-in-Furness, Albion was launched in March 2001 by the Princess Royal...
Warship
Bulwark is the feature ship in the second season of Warship originally shown on television channel Five in the UK. The season followed her during the Taurus 09 deployment.Affiliations
- County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
- Royal Irish RegimentRoyal Irish RegimentThe Royal Irish Regiment is an infantry unit of the British Army.-1992 creation:With an antecedence reaching back to 1689, the regiment was formed in 1992...
- Worshipful Company Of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers
- Bulwark, Albion and Centaur Association
- RAF OdihamRAF OdihamRAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3...
- Giggleswick School CCF