HMS OCEAN (L12)

HMS Ocean (L12) (IMO: 9079456, Port of Registry: Portsmouth, UK) of the Royal Navy is an Amphibious assault ship (or Landing Platform Helicopter) or Helicopter carrier), the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force. She is currently the largest ship in the Royal Navy. She can deploy an Embarked Military Force (EMF) of a Royal Marines Commando Group from 3 Commando Brigade supported by aviation and landing craft assets. The ships company includes 9 Assault Squadron from 1 Assault Group Royal Marines. Ocean is also capable of limited Anti Submarine Warfare activities, supporting afloat training and acting as a base facility for other embarked forces including Counter-terrorism units.

She was constructed in the mid 1990s by Kvaerner Govan Ltd on the Clyde and fitted out at Barrow-in-Furness prior to first of class trials and subsequent acceptance in service. She was commissioned in September 1998 at her home port Devonport, Plymouth, Devon. In her sea trial she managed to reach a top speed of 20.6 knots, however her usual top speed is 18 knots now totally fitted out and with the addition of new equipment (Source: Wikipedia).

The air group of up to 12 Sea King HC-4 medium-lift helicopters, six Lynx AH-7 light-lift/anti-Tank helicopters, and four Mk5 landing craft is provided by the Commando Helicopter Force. However, she can also support the Westland WAH-64 Apache operated by the Army Air Corps and helicopters of the Royal Air Force including the Chinook.
Ocean can transport up to 15 fixed wing Harrier[14] aircraft of Joint Force Harrier in the ferry role, but is unable to operate as a fixed wing aircraft carrier.

The HMS Ocean is expected to arrive later this afternoon at the Holland Amerikakade Rotterdam.