Military Nuts Ship of the week. The Chakri Narubet
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CHAKRI NARUEBET OFFSHORE PATROL HELICOPTER CARRIER, THAILAND
The Offshore Patrol Helicopter Carrier, HTMS Chakri Naruebet, was constructed for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) by Spanish shipbuilders Izar (formerly EN Bazan).
Under a contract signed in July 1992, the Chakri Naruebet was constructed at Izar’s El Ferrol yard in Spain and commissioned in March 1997. With a design similar to that of the Spanish carrier Principe de Asturias, it is fitted with a 12° ski jump to enable the use of Harrier-style aircraft. The carrier is tasked with warfare/flagship command and control, air support for amphibious operations and the Thai surface fleet, EEZ surveillance and protection, search and rescue, and disaster relief. It is based in the Gulf of Thailand.
DESIGN
The ship is equipped with six multi-mission Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters, designed for use in an anti-submarine role. These are supplemented with six ex-Spanish Matador AV-8S (Harrier) short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. The Chakri Naruebet’s 174.6m x 27.5m flight deck, which terminates in a 12° ski jump, can accommodate five simultaneous helicopter take-off/landings; the hangar provides space for ten medium helicopters or Harrier-sized aircraft. The carrier’s maximum speed is 26 knots, with a cruise speed of 16 knots. Range is estimated to be 10,000nm at 12 knots. Two spade rudders and four hull stabilisers have been fitted.
COMMAND SYSTEM
The command and control system is made up of a combat information centre with seven Inisel consoles and an auxiliary console. The combat system is the AN/UYK-43C Lowboy with weapon systems integration carried out by FABA, Spain.
MISSILES
The ship has provision for one eight-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) for the Seasparrow surface-to-air missile. Seasparrow uses semi-active radar guidance, has a range of 14km and a speed of Mach 2.5. The carrier has three MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Sadral six-cell launchers for the Mistral missile. Mistral is a short-range anti-aircraft missile able to intercept in-coming sea-skimming missiles. The Sadral six-cell launcher is a stabilised turret equipped with a television camera which can be fitted with an infra-red channel for target acquisition. The Mistral missile is equipped with an infrared homing head supplied by SAGEM and has a 3kg high-explosive warhead loaded with tungsten balls. Range is 4km.
GUNS
Four Raytheon/General Dynamics Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems and two 30mm naval guns are yet to be fitted. Phalanx has a 20mm/53-calibre six-barrel gun capable of firing 3,000 rounds/min to a target range of 1.5km.
COUNTERMEASURES
Four BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions (formerly Tracor) Mk 137 chaff launchers, Indra Aldebaran electronic support measures (ESM) system and Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 radar jammer are yet be fitted.
SENSORS
The ship is equipped with a Raytheon AN/SPS-52C 3-D medium range air search radar, operating at E/F band, Kelvin Hughes navigation and helicopter control radar, Kelvin Hughes I-band navigation radar, MX 1105 Transit/GPS Omega satellite navigation system and an URN 25 Tacan system. The Raytheon AN/SPS-64 I-band surface search radar and Thales Nederland (fomerly Signaal) STIR I/J/K-band fire control radar are not yet fitted.
Provision has been made for a hull-mounted, medium frequency, active sonar system.
PROPULSION
Propulsion is by a Combined Diesel or Gas Turbines (CODOG) system which is made up of two pairs of GE LM-2500 gas turbines rated at 44,250hp with a power turbine speed of 3,600rpm and Izar-MTU 16V1163 TB83 diesel engines, each with an output power of 6,437hp at 1,200rpm, which will drive two variable-pitch five-blade propellers. (Thailand's two Naresuan Class frigates, which may escort the carrier, are also fitted with CODOG systems). -
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Din noe thai got such ship....
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well . . . now you know . . . . .Originally posted by kaka_22:Din noe thai got such ship....
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What's the current operational status of this ship?
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officially operational. unofficially . . . .slacking around doing nothing.
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The following offers some information on the operational status. Apologies for not being able to copy the link.
Cost of running and maintenance is exhorbitant but that does not truly explain its current sorry state.Thailand is one of the few countries in the
world - and unique in the ASEAN region - to
have a sea-going naval air arm, and this is
headquartered at U-Tapao. The Royal Thai
Naval Air Division (Kongbin Tha Lur Thai)
operates ex-Spanish Navy McDonnell Douglas
AV-8As from its sole carrier, the Chakri
Narubet, built by Bazan in Spain. Seven AV-
8Ss and two TAV-8Ss were acquired in 1997,
but have suffered serviceability problems due
to lack of spares and only three are
operational today. The carrier air wing also
includes Sikorsky S-70B-7 Seahawks, six of
which were delivered in 1997. However, the
most potent element of the Royal Thai Naval
Air Division is its 14 land-based LTV A-7E/EA-
7Ls and four TA-7C Corsairs, acquired from ex-
US Navy stocks in 1995. Maritime patrol types
in service include two Lockheed P-3Ts and a
UP-3T, three Fokker F27-200 Maritime
Enforcers, five GAF N24L Searchmasters and
three Dornier Do-228-212s.
Other types
include two F27-400M transports, ten Summit
Sentry 337s, four Cessna 0-1s, four Cessna U-
17s and two Douglas C-47s, one of which is
configured for Elint. The RTNAD operates a
sizeable helicopter force, equipped with Bell
UH-1Hs, Bell 212s, Bell 214STs, and Sikorsky S-
76s. Two Agusta Westland Super Lynx 300
maritime helicopters are on order under a £25
million deal and will be used in the ASW,
surface surveillance and anti drug-smuggling
roles, operating from four RTN frigates and
offshore patrol vessels. The RTND is also
interested in acquiring up to ten ex-US Navy
Kaman SH-2F Seasprites and the US Navy had
offered, in early 2000, to donate eight
Seasprites upgraded to SH-2G standard, with
two SH-2Fs for spares cannibalisation. -
the last time i heard, it was activated when the cambodians assulted their embassy. That was 1 or 2 years back.Originally posted by suntze:The following offers some information on the operational status. Apologies for not being able to copy the link.
Cost of running and maintenance is exhorbitant but that does not truly explain its current sorry state. -
The Cambodian issue IIRC was over some disparaging remarks made by a Thai lady media personality. Cambodia was no longer a threat to Thailand after the Khmer Rouge was ousted. In any case, I believe the RTN didn't buy the Chakri Naruebet because of any perceived threats from Cambodia.
ATM, there is no significant external threat against Thailand; the security threat that is emerging to the forefront is from Muslim insurgents in the southern provinces. That is probably the reason behind the recent purchase of the Chinese IFV, in exchange for dried longans. -
I thought the Remote control vessel is the top ship. Unmanned and can attack, monitor and expandable.
(invincible)
Ha Ha -
I think Thailand make a big mistake! They shall spend the money on a few pair of subs instead of the carrier.
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AC is a high value target...all enemy planes will definitely target it before any conflict starts...Originally posted by zenden9:I think Thailand make a big mistake! They shall spend the money on a few pair of subs instead of the carrier. -
I saw it in Singapore waters this year on the way to Changi Naval Base for a port call. Its still operational but hardly goes to sea as it is costly to do so.
Still do not understand why they buy such a ship but its a very pretty ship. I think the Spanish are great aircraft carrier designer. -
According to some sources, the A/C is more for offshore patrol and humanitanian mission. As we know, Thailand had a vast EEZ and to patrol them efficiently, they use aircrafts and A/C.
Their A/C are very basic. No sophisiticated weapon and electronic system.
Most of the time the A/C is ilding at Sattahip. RTN only sail her once a year to Andaman Sea to soak in the Indian Ocean.
So the bottomline is that it is a "White Elephant"...