Algerian amphibious ship enters the water
Luca Peruzzi, Genoa, Italy - IHS Jane's Navy International
22 January 2014
The Algerian Navy's BDSL landing helicopter dock ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes, built by OSN at Fincantieri's Riva Trigoso shipyard, is seen here sailing by barge to the Muggiano shipyard, La Spezia, for outfitting. (Luca Peruzzi)
The Algerian Navy's new multipurpose landing helicopter dock (LHD) ship entered the water for the first time on 14 January at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia, Italy.
Built under the prime contractorship of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a Fincantieri/Selex ES joint venture, the BDSL (Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique) vessel
Kalaat Beni-Abbes (474) was originally scheduled for launch on 14 December 2013. However, because of an incident unrelated to the ship's delivery programme, the launch was delayed and the ship finally left Riva Trigoso's main shipyard by barge on 8 January, heading for Muggiano.
The completion of hull and superstructure build up to the point of formal launch was achieved 30 months after contract date.
Although OSN has not released details of the ship construction and outfitting programme,
IHS Jane's understands that the programme is running ahead of schedule. OSN had already begun harbour acceptance trials in advance of the vessel sailing from Riva Trigoso, with sea trials scheduled to begin by April (two months ahead of schedule).
It is understood that platform and combat system customer acceptance trials will be completed before September, when the ship is scheduled for handover to the Algerian Navy.
Following handover, the ship will remain in Italy until the first quarter of 2015 for crew and maintenance staff training under the supervision of the Italian Navy.
As a subcontractor to OSN, the Italian Navy has taken on the task of developing the ship's training and qualification syllabus, providing (together with industry) shore- and sea-based training for the crew and support personnel at facilities in La Spezia and Taranto.
In October 2013 the first 100 out of a total of 180 personnel to be trained arrived in Taranto for a programme that included safety and emergency procedures familiarisation. In December an initial group of 45 personnel began platform systems and equipment courses at Fincantieri's recently activated training academy near Muggiano: this phase was conducted by industrial personnel as well as representatives from the Italian Navy's construction, test, and outfitting centre. Once these courses are completed, further shore-based training will take place under the Italian Navy team before the crew moves to on-ship training and support.
Beyond this, the crew will begin preparing to sail the vessel independently under the Italian Navy's Fleet Command, with the basic operational sea training phase commencing in Taranto. Here, the crew can use the Italian Navy's new warship simulator provided by ECA Sindel. The simulator replicates the LHD's integrated bridge, and combat information and platform control centres.
A live-firing exercise is expected to conclude crew qualification in the first quarter of 2015.
Although the vessel is based on the design of the Italian Navy's landing platform dock ITS
San Giusto (L 9894),
Kalaat Beni-Abbes is larger and has been redesigned according to the latest safety, MARPOL environmental protection, and construction standards. Designed and built under Italy's RINA SpA classification guidelines with the service notation 'amphibious warfare ship', the vessel's accommodation facilities and air-conditioning systems have been derived from Fincantieri's cruise ship-building work.
The 8,800-tonne full-load displacement vessel is 142.9 m long and 21.5 m in beam. It can carry more than 600 personnel, including a 152-strong crew, a flight operations detachment, and embarked amphibious forces. Along with the capacity to host an amphibious force command-and-control facility, the vessel has a stern dock able to carry three landing craft mechanised (LCM), and can also embark three landing craft vehicle and personnel (LCVP) vessels together with one landing craft personnel (LCP) and two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs).
The three 19.5 m LCMs, based on the Italian Navy's LCMs designed by Cantiere Navale Vittoria and able to carry a 30-tonne load, are being built by Algeria's ECRN (Enterprise de Construction et Reparation Navales) near Mers-El-Kebir.
IHS Jane'sunderstands that the first LCM began acceptance trials in December.
Up to 15 armoured vehicles can be carried in the hangar space, which can be accessed by a starboard-side folding ramp and a 30-tonne elevator amidships. Soft-skinned vehicles and containers can be accommodated on a flight deck that also has two helicopter landing spots (the aft spot able to accommodate an AgustaWestland AW101 aircraft). The ship has space for an extended hospital facility, including a surgery and up to 60 beds.
The combat system is based on the Athena-C combat management system (CMS) supplied by Selex ES. Elettronica has provided the electronic warfare fit, while OTO Melara has supplied countermeasures launchers. Armament includes a single OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid gun, two 25 mm guns, and an eight-cell Sylver A50 vertical launcher hosting Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles.
The Selex ES MFRA active array radar provides situational awareness and missile fire control. A SIR phased-array IFF is also fitted, together with a gun fire-control system and navigation/helicopter control radars.
The Seastema (a Fincantieri/ABB joint venture) integrated platform management system manages the vessel's hull, mechanical, and electrical systems, including the ship's electrical supply, bow thrusters, emergency diesel generators, and propulsion plant. The latter is based around two 6,000 kW-rated Wärtsila 12V32 diesel engines, driving two controllable-pitch propellers via Siemens gearboxes to achieve a 20 kt maximum speed.
New self-propelled howitzer spotted in Algeria
Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
22 January 2014
Algeria is updating its artillery inventory by procuring Chinese self-propelled howitzers.
The acquisition was revealed by photographs that were published on the forcesdz.com blog on 14 January showing a self-propelled gun on a transporter. The author said he took the photo near the Algerian city of Blida when he saw a convoy of around 50 armoured vehicle transporters.
The location prompted speculation that the vehicles were being transported to the Central Logistic Base (BCL) in Blida, which is often the first stop for Algeria's new military equipment.
Although the turret and hull of the vehicle are covered, it can be identified as a 155 mm Chinese SPH, probably a NORINCO PLZ45, rather than the longer-barrelled PLZ52.
Secret-difa3, a credible blogspot in North african defence confirmed that it was the PLZ52