RFA Cardigan Bay

	RFA Cardigan Bay in the Middle East, August 2012
History
United Kingdom
Name	RFA Cardigan Bay
Ordered	19 November 2001
Builder	BAE Systems, Govan, Glasgow
Laid down	13 October 2003
Launched	8–9 April 2005
In service	18 December 2006
Homeport	Falmouth; forward deployed to HMS Jufair, Bahrain
Identification	IMO number: 9240782; Pennant number: L3009; Deck code: CB;
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Bay-class landing ship dock
Displacement	16,160 t (15,905 long tons) full load
Length	579.4 ft (176.6 m)
Beam	86.6 ft (26.4 m)
Draught	19 ft (5.8 m)
Propulsion	2 × Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, 6,000 hp (4.5 MW); 2 × Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, 9,000 hp (6.7 MW); 2 × azimuth thrusters; 1 × bow thruster;
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	1 LCU or 2 LCVP in well deck; Mexeflote powered rafts
Capacity	1,150 linear metres of vehicles (up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks); Cargo capacity of 200 tons ammunition or 24 TEU containers;
Troops	356 standard, 700 overload
Complement	60
Armament	2 × DS30B Mk 1 30 mm guns; 2 × Phalanx CIWS; 4 × 7.62mm Mk.44 Miniguns (may be replaced by Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns as of 2023); 6 × 7.62mm L7 GPMGs;
Aircraft carried	Not routinely carried but a temporary hangar can be fitted.
Aviation facilities	Flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size

RFA Cardigan Bay is a Bay-class landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by BAE Systems, the ship was dedicated into the RFA at the end of 2006.

^ "FOI(A) regarding the Royal Navy" (PDF). What do they know?. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
^ "The all-rounder – the 30mm Automated Small Calibre Gun in focus". Navy Lookout. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ "Last ditch defence – the Phalanx close-in weapon system in focus". Navy Lookout. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.

History
RFA Cardigan Bay in the Middle East, August 2012
United Kingdom
Name	RFA Cardigan Bay
Ordered	19 November 2001
Builder	BAE Systems, Govan, Glasgow
Laid down	13 October 2003
Launched	8–9 April 2005
In service	18 December 2006
Homeport	Falmouth;^[1] forward deployed to HMS Jufair, Bahrain
Identification	IMO number: 9240782 Pennant number: L3009 Deck code: CB
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Bay-class landing ship dock
Displacement	16,160 t (15,905 long tons) full load
Length	579.4 ft (176.6 m)
Beam	86.6 ft (26.4 m)
Draught	19 ft (5.8 m)
Propulsion	2 × Wärtsilä 8L26 generators, 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) 2 × Wärtsilä 12V26 generators, 9,000 hp (6.7 MW) 2 × azimuth thrusters 1 × bow thruster
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	1 LCU or 2 LCVP in well deck; Mexeflote powered rafts
Capacity	1,150 linear metres of vehicles (up to 24 Challenger 2 tanks or 150 light trucks) Cargo capacity of 200 tons ammunition or 24 TEU containers
Troops	356 standard, 700 overload
Complement	60
Armament	2 × DS30B Mk 1 30 mm guns^[2] 2 × Phalanx CIWS^[3] 4 × 7.62mm Mk.44 Miniguns (may be replaced by Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns as of 2023)^[4] 6 × 7.62mm L7 GPMGs
Aircraft carried	Not routinely carried but a temporary hangar can be fitted.
Aviation facilities	Flight deck can operate helicopters up to Chinook size