HMAS Balikpapan

Template:Short description Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox ship HMAS Balikpapan (L 126) was the lead ship of the Template:Sclass of heavy landing craft (LCH). Ordered in 1969, Balikpapan entered service with the Australian Army Water Transport Squadron in late 1971. After this, the decision to place all seagoing Army vessels under the control of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) saw Balikpapan transferred and commissioned in 1974; the last of the eight-vessel class to enter RAN service. Balikpapan was placed in reserve in 1985, but was reactivated three years later. During late 1999 and early 2000, the vessel was part of the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, and made additional deployments to East Timor in 2001 and 2006. On 12 December 2012, Balikpapan was retired from RAN service.

Design and construction

Template:Main The eight-vessel Balikpapan class was ordered as a locally manufactured replacement for the Australian Army's LSM-1-class landing ship medium and ALC 50 landing craft.<ref>Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, pp. 79, 125</ref> They are Template:Convert long, with a beam of Template:Convert, and a draught of Template:Convert.<ref name=Wertheim26>Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 26</ref> The landing craft have a standard displacement of 316 tons, with a full load displacement of 503 tons.<ref name=Wertheim26/> They are propelled by two G.M. Detroit 6-71 diesel motors, providing 675 brake horsepower to the two propeller shafts, allowing the vessels to reach Template:Convert.<ref name=Wertheim26/> The standard ship's company is 13-strong.<ref name=Wertheim26/> The Balikpapans are equipped with a Decca RM 916 navigational radar, and fitted with two Template:Convert machine guns for self-defence.<ref name=Wertheim26/>

The LCHs have a maximum payload of 180 tons; equivalent to 3 Leopard 1 tanks, 13 M113 armoured personnel carriers 23 quarter-tonne trucks, or four LARC-V amphibious cargo vehicles.<ref name=Wertheim26/><ref name=Gillett79>Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 79</ref> As a troop transport, a Balikpapan-class vessel can transport up to 400 soldiers between a larger amphibious ship and the shore, or embark 60 soldiers in six-berth caravans for longer voyages.<ref name=Gillett79/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The vessel's payload affects the range: at 175 tons of cargo, each vessel has a range of Template:Convert, which increases to Template:Convert with a 150-ton payload, and Template:Convert when unladen.<ref name=Wertheim26/> The flat, box-like keel causes the ships to roll considerably in other-than-calm conditions, limiting their ability to make long voyages.<ref name=Gillett79/>

Balikpapan was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland on 1 May 1971, launched on 15 August 1971, and assigned to the Australian Army Water Transport Squadron on 8 December 1971.<ref name=RAN>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 25</ref> After completing sea trials, Balikpapan began full operational service in 1972, with a combined RAN/Army crew.<ref>Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 124</ref>

Operational history

In 1972, the decision was made that all Army seagoing vessels would be transferred to the RAN, with the Army retaining control of small landing craft and harbour support vessels.<ref name=Gillett79/> Balikpapan was transferred to the RAN and commissioned on 27 September 1974; as the other seven LCHs had commissioned into the RAN on completion, Balikpapan was the last to enter naval service.<ref name=Gillett80>Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 80</ref>

Balikpapan was one of the first ships to depart for Darwin to render assistance after Cyclone Tracy hit that city in December 1974, sailing on 26 December from Brisbane with sister ship Template:HMAS.<ref name=SPCDisasterRelief>Sea Power Centre, Disaster Relief</ref>

During May and June 1984, Balikpapan completed a Template:Convert transit from Brisbane to Penang, transporting vehicles, equipment, and personnel to RAAF Butterworth.<ref name=Swinden22>Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 22</ref> Departing on 28 May, the vessel visited Cairns, Darwin, Jakarta, and Singapore, before unloading at Penang between 23 and 25 June.<ref name=Swinden22/> The landing craft returned via Singapore, Benoa, Darwin, and Cairns, and reached Brisbane on 7 August; the longest ocean voyage undertaken by a vessel of her class.<ref name=Swinden22/>

Balikpapan was paid off into reserve at Cairns on 18 September 1985; one of three landing craft decommissioned for economic reasons.<ref name=Gillett80/><ref name=Swinden22/> She was recommissioned in 1990, although initially only for use as a training vessel attached to the Royal Australian Naval Reserve Darwin Division.<ref name=Swinden22/> The vessel was seconded to Operation Beachcomber on several occasions between 1991 and 1995 for hydrographic duties.<ref name=Swinden22/>

Balikpapan was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce.<ref name=StevensStrength>Stevens, Strength Through Diversity, p. 15</ref> The landing craft was attached to INTERFET on two occasions; first from 20 September to 13 October 1999, then from 8 December 1999 to 15 January 2000.<ref name=StevensStrength/> The ship was later awarded the battle honour "East Timor 1999-2000" in recognition of her service.<ref name=newhonours>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=honourslist>Template:Cite web</ref> From January to September 2000, the vessel was docked in Cairns for a life-of-type-extension refit.<ref name=RAN/> Post-refit, Balikpapan returned to East Timor to operate in support of UNTAET: November to December 2000, February to March 2001, May to June 2001, and July to August 2001.<ref name=RAN/>

Balikpapan returned to East Timor in 2006 during Operation Astute.<ref name=RAN/>

This vessel participated in Exercises Triton Thunder and Cassowary during May 2012. Balikpapan operated off Dundee Beach in the Northern Territory in concert with units from the Indonesian Navy and RAN Fleet Air Arm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Decommissioning and fate

Balikpapan was decommissioned at Darwin on 12 December 2012.<ref name=RAN/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Philippine Navy has shown interest in acquiring the ship, after the Australian government donated two other sister ships, Template:HMAS and Template:HMAS in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was later confirmed that the Philippine Navy is acquiring three more LCH from Australia, including ex-HMAS Balikpapan, at a token price.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

References

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