LHA-98-class amphibious assault ship

LHA-98 Amphibious Assault Ship Corsaire/Johanna Class Amphibious Assault Ship

--- Class overview Name:	Mistral class Builders: - - Operators: - Marine Nationale - Realm Armada Preceded by: Cost: In commission: Planned: Completed: Active:

- General characteristics Type:	Amphibious assault ship Displacement: - 25,800 tonnes (empty) - 33,000 tonnes (full load) Length:	245m (804 ft) Beam:	36m (118 ft) Draught:	7.2m (23.5 ft) Installed power: 60,000 shp Propulsion:	2x 15MW Electric azimuth pods with 5-bladed propellers Speed:	22 knots Range:	Johanna Class - 22,000 km (12,000 nmi) at 16 knots - 12,000 kilometres (6,500 nmi) at 22 knots Endurance: 30 days Well Deck: 100m long, 15m wide, 3m submersible depth aft Capacity: Troops: - 1200 (short duration) - 800 (long duration) Complement: 260 crew + 200 air group Sensors and processing systems: - Navigation Radar - 3D Air Search Radar - Fire Control Radar - Optronic Fire Control - Radio Landing Assist Armament: - 2x 227mm Multiple Rocket Launch systems - 4x Twin 40mm CIWS - 2x 16-cell strike length VLS Aircraft carried: Varies Aviation facilities: 7 helicopter landing spots

=History= =Design=

Aviation
The LHA-98 Class has a flight deck with dedicated landing spots for the simultaneous use of seven medium-large helicopters. Two elevators, one at the very stern and one fore of the island and offset from centreline to starboard, provide 20 tonne capacity lift to the hangar deck. The hangar deck measures 3000 square meters and provides a 6.5m height to accomodate a wide variety of aircraft.

The bow can be fitted with a 12 degree ski jump for operation of STOVL aircraft.

Well Deck and Boats
The LHA-98 class is equipped with a large to support a number of landing craft or amphibious assault vehicles. Measuring 100m long by 15m wide the well deck can accomodate a wide assortment of large landing craft. The well deck is fed by small vehicle deck forward of 1500 square meters, capable of taking main battle tanks up to 60 tonnes, or amphibious assault vehicles. Above the tank deck and the well dock is a larger, but lower height vehicle deck of 3000 square meters which feeds to the tank deck by a lowerable vehicle ramp. Another lowerable vehicle ramp provides vehicle access to the hangar deck above, allowing storage of vehicles in the aircraft hangar.

There are two inset davits on each side of the ship which allow the carriage of smaller boats or LCVP.

Propulsion
Two viariants of the LHA-98 class exist. For the Realm Armada's Johanna Class the ship is powered by a combined diesel and gas turbine electric drive. Four diesel generators in the hull provide primay propulsion power with 10,000 shp each, with a 20,000 shp gas turbine mounted in the island to provide higher power output when needed. For the Marine Nationale's Corsaire Class propulsion is provided by two gas-cooled reactor generator sets providing 30,000 shp each.

Weapons
The LHA-98 class is armed with two trainable launchers to provide fire support to landing troops. Each launcher, mounted on sponsons on the starboad side of the hull, below flight deck level, is supplied with a magazine with up to eight reload pallets each. The MLRS uses a palletized load system providing flexibility in munitions, which allows employment of guided munitions with ranges in excess of 70km, out to 500km with theatre ballistic missile loads. This allows the LHA-98 to provide fire support to landing teams both on the beach and deeper into shore. Because of the placement of the launchers firing arcs are restricted, though technically 360 degree coverage exists. Firing over the port side requires firing over the flight deck and thus can only occur when the flight deck is cleared.

Further, the LHA-98 class is equipped with two 16-cell VLS systems, mounted to port towards the stern. These VLS systems are strike length, allowing carriage of land attack cruise missiles, as well as an assortment of air defense and anti-submarine missiles. Loads may varry, though the VLS is intended to provide a limited land attack cruise missile capability as well as up to 32 short range air defense missiles for local defense.

For close in defense the LHA-98 class is armed with four guns. These are tied into the LHA-98 air defense sensors and can be operated in either manual or automatic mode to intercept sea-skimming missiles or aircraft. One gun is installed on each corner of the ship providing full 360 degree coverage. One known problem with the CIWS mountings is that their geight above water, just below flight deck, and limited gun depression, limits coverage very close to the ship. To counter this in low-intensity threat areas, varous manually operated small arms such as machine guns can be mounted at various points.

=Ships In Class=