Italian shipyard Fincantieri launched Algerian Navy future amphibious ship (BDSL program)

: Posted On Friday, 10 January 2014 10:29

Naval Industry News - Italy, Algeria

Italian shipyard Fincantieri launched Algerian Navy future amphibious ship (BDSL program)

On January 8, 2014 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Riva Trigoso (Genoa) the Algerian Navy future BDSL (Batiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique) amphibious vessel was launched on a barge. According to our sources, the ship (who will be named Kalaat Beni-Abbes) will then be towed to its final completion site of the shipyard Fincantieri in Muddzhiano (La Spezia) .

Algerian Navy future amphibious vessel Kalaat Beni-Abbes
Picutre: Giorgio Parodi

This amphibious vessel (classified as LPD/Landing Platform Dock by the Italian shipyard) was ordered by Algeria in July 2011 under the program BDSL (Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique) a contract worth more than 400 million euros. The prime contractor for the design and construction of the ship is the Italian company Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) - a joint venture of the Italian Finmeccanica group and Fincantieri, originally created for the Italian programs of Horizon and FREMM class ships. The Algerian vessel is designed on the basis of Italian San Giorgio class LPD, introduced in the Italian Navy in 1994. However the Algerian vessel will be slightly larger.

The Kalaat Beni-Abbes is set to be fitted with a powerful weapons suite which is unusual for this type of vessels:
- MBDA SAAM-ESD (Aster missiles + A50 launcher Sylver) behind the island superstructure
- 1x OTO Melara Super Rapid76-mm/62 at the bow
- 2x 25mm remote weapon stations

The electronic suite will include Selex Sistemi Integrati EMPAR + AESA radar of CICS Athena-C + navigation radar and flight control by -gosopoznavaniya SIR + Communication system supplied by Selex Elsag + EW systems produced by Elettronica and Thales + two SCLAR-H decoy launchers

Algerian Navy BDSL (Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique)
Picture: Giorgio Parodi

This new amphibious vessel can accommodate 3 Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) + 3 small Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) + 1 large Landing Craft Personnel (LCP) + 2 semi-rigid boats. The hangar can accommodate up to 15 armored vehicles.
The crew will consist in 150 sailors while the ship may accomodate a landing force of 440 soldiers.

Basic Specifications:
-Total displacement = 9000 tons
-Length = 142.9 meters
-Width = 21.5 meters
-Flight deck with two runways and landing pads for heavy-lift helicopters in the extremities and 30-ton lift in the central part of the deck
-The power plant includes two diesel engines Wärtsilä 12V32 rated at 6000 kW
-The maximum speed = 20 knots
-Cruising range = 11,265 km
-Generation of electricity will be provided by four diesel generators Isotta Fraschini V1716 C2ME capacity of 1300 kW and one emergency V1708 T3 of 600 kW