Christmas Edition!

  • Outlier1031
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    11 months ago

    Looks like one of the new Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Deck ships. Largest vessels ever put into service by the Australian Navy

    • maniacalmanicmania
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      11 months ago

      I think you’re right. I had to look up why helicopter ships would need take-off ramps though because they were very noticeable and found this gem on Wikipedia:

      The ski-jump ramp of Juan Carlos I has been retained for the RAN ships, although is not intended for use.[24] The Spanish use the ramp to launch Harrier jet aircraft, and although operating STOVL aircraft was decided against early in the Australian procurement process due to cost and detraction from the ships’ main role, redesigning the ship to remove the ramp would have added unnecessary cost to the project.[33] The retention of the ski-jump has prompted multiple recommendations that fixed-wing aircraft be operated from the ships (primarily envisaged as a flight group of F-35B Lightning II STOVL aircraft).[24][34][35][36] The RAN has maintained that embarking Australian-operated, fixed-wing aircraft was not under consideration, although has conceded that cross-decking with other nations’ aircraft could possibly occur.