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 Izars 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 Naruebets
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 carriers 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).
