HMAS Betano
Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship careerTemplate:Infobox ship characteristicsHMAS Betano (L 133) was a Template:Sclass heavy landing craft operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in six-berth caravans for longer voyages.<ref name=Gillett79/> 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/>
Betano was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland on 3 October 1972, launched on 12 December 1972, and commissioned into the RAN on 8 February 1974.<ref name=Swinden20>Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 20</ref>
Operational history
In April 1974, Betano, Buna, and Brunei transited to Lord Howe Island as a demonstration of the Balikpanan class' oceangoing capabilities.<ref name=Swinden22>Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 22</ref>
Following the destruction of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24–25 December 1974, Betano was deployed as part of the relief effort; Operation Navy Help Darwin.<ref name=NavyHelp>Sea Power Centre, Disaster Relief</ref> Betano sailed from Brisbane on 26 December.<ref name=NavyHelp/>
From 1985 to 1988, Betano and Brunei were assigned to the Australian Hydrographic Officer and operated as survey ships in the waters of northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.<ref name=Swinden22/>
The ship was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 19 January to 19 February 2000.<ref name=StevensStrength>Stevens, Strength Through Diversity, p. 15</ref> Her service earned her the battle honour "East Timor 2000".<ref name=newhonours/><ref name=honourslist/>
Decommissioning and fate
Betano was decommissioned at Darwin on 12 December 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Philippine Navy has shown interest in acquiring the ship after the Australian government donated two 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 will acquire three more LCHs from Australia, including ex-HMAS Betano, at a token price.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
References
Sources
Books
Journal articles
Template:Portal bar Template:Balikpapan-class LCH Template:RAN amphibious warfare ships