Wow... No WOW!
Notice something special aboard RSS Resolution (208)?
John Wilson's pictures of RSS Resolution in Brisbane show her with a full load of Fast Craft Equipment Personnel (FCEPs) on her davits. Count 'em! Her davits are fully loaded portside too.
These pictures of Resolution with her superstructure festooned with FCEPs are the most impressive I've seen of the Endurance-class LSTs. Most times, you see at most two FCEP landing craft on each side.
Sealift capability
With 10 FCEPs topside and four larger Fast Craft Utility in her well dock, the LST can put one battalion of soldiers ashore in a single wave using her own assets. The ship also has a helideck with landing spots that can take two Super Pumas at the same time or one Chinook. The 141m Endurance-class can carry more landing craft than any other landing ship her size.
With four such LSTs on call, the RSN can land a brigade-sized landing force in one wave. The four LSTs will have up to 40 FCEPs and 16 FCUs to deliver troops and support vehicles from the sea.
Apart from the landing craft, the LSTs have one other asset called a Floating Bridge System (FBS) that can be strapped to the side of her hull. When released, the self-propelled platform forms a floating causeway. This asset deserves a separate post, so we'll feature the floating platform in an upcoming Circuit Breaker post. I have yet to see an Endurance-class LST fully loaded with FCEPs AND the FBS pontoons. Now that the FCEP capability has seen the light of day, am hopeful the LST+FBS combo will some day be unveiled too.
John's pictures were taken from 2016 to 2018 when Resolution sailed to Brisbane to support Exercise Trident, held in Australia's Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. Do note that Exercise Wallaby 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Behold, Reso with a full house on her davits.
Previous RSS Resolution L204
Compare and contrast the first RSN vessel to carry the name Resolution, a County-class LST. Resolution is the last of six LSTs that remains in RSN hands.Of the five other hulls, four were operational with 191 Squadron: RSS Endurance L201, RSS Excellence L202, RSS Intrepid L203 and RSS Persistence L205. A fifth LST hull was kept in mothballs but was not known to have entered active service. The RSN referred to her as RSS Perseverence.
Resolution is tied alongside at Tuas Naval Base. I hope the Navy has plans to keep her.
