Design and Construction
The ships have a displacement of 2,170 tons at full load. They are 71.2 metres (234 ft) long, with a beam of 15.2 metres (50 ft), and a draught of 4.3 metres (14 ft). Main propulsion machinery consists of four GEC Alsthom 6RK 215 diesel generators, which supply two Alsthom electric motors, each driving a propeller shaft. A Schottel bow thruster is fitted for additional manoeuvrability. Maximum speed is 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), with a range of 18,000 nautical miles (33,000 km; 21,000 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).
Each ship is fitted with a STN Atlas 9600 APRA I-band navigational radar. The vessels are fitted with a C-Tech CMAS 36/39 hull-mounted high-frequency active sonar. In addition, the ships carry an Atlas Fansweep-20 multibeam echo sounder and an Atlas Hydrographic Deso single-beam echo sounder, and a Klein 2000 towed sidescan sonar array. The sonars and echo sounders allow the vessels to chart waters up to 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) deep. There are three sets of davits fitted; although normally used to carry the 10.7-metre (35 ft) Fantome class survey boats, they can be configured for other small craft. In addition, they carry a RHIB and two utility boats. The Leeuwins are fitted with a helicopter deck for a AS 350B Squirrel helicopter (detached from 723 Squadron), although lack long-term hosting facilities. They are armed with two single 12.7 mm machine guns.
The ship's company consists of 10 officers and 46 sailors. In addition, up to 5 trainees can be accommodated. The Leeuwins were the first RAN ships to use a multi-crewing concept, with three complements used to operate the two vessels.
The two ships were ordered from NQEA on 2 April 1996, and built at the company's shipyard in Cairns, Queensland. Construction of Leeuwin commenced in August 1996, and she was launched in July 1997, while Melville was laid down in May 1997 and launched in June 1998. The vessels underwent a joint commissioning ceremony on 27 May 2000. The ships initially bore the pennant numbers "HS 01" and "HS 02" respectively, but these were changed in 2004 to "A 245" and "A 246".
Read more about this topic: Leeuwin Class Survey Vessel
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