HMS Bulwark (L15)

HMS Bulwark
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Bulwark
Ordered	18 July 1996
Builder	BAE Systems Marine, Barrow-in-Furness, England
Laid down	27 January 2000
Launched	15 November 2001
Sponsored by	Lady Walker
Commissioned	28 April 2005
Out of service	Planned by March 2025
Refit	2010–2011
Homeport	HMNB Devonport, Plymouth
Identification	IMO number: 9160607 MMSI number: 232002833 Callsign: GDIV Pennant L15 Deck code: BK
Motto	"Under thy wings I will trust"
Status	Extended readiness; to be retired from service March 2025 -
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Albion-class amphibious transport dock
Displacement	19,560 t (19,250 long tons; 21,560 short tons)
Length	176 m (577 ft 5 in)
Beam	28.9 m (94 ft 10 in)
Draught	7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 16V 32E diesel generators 2 × Wärtsilä Vasa 4R 32E diesel generators GE Power Conversion Full Electric Propulsion System, 2x Motors and Drives Bow thruster
Speed	18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Range	8,000 miles (7,000 nmi; 13,000 km)
Boats & landing craft carried	4 × LCU MK10 4 × LCVP MK5
Capacity	67 vehicles
Troops	405 Royal Marines (710 overload)[1][2]
Crew	325
Sensors and processing systems	2 × Type 1007/8 I-band radars 1 × Type 996 E/F band radar 1 × Type 997 E/F-band radar (from 2016)
Armament	2 × 20mm Phalanx CIWS[3] 2 × 20mm GAM-BO1 cannon[4] 4 × general purpose machine guns 4 x HMG[5]
Aviation facilities	Two landing spots for helicopters up to the size of a Chinook.

HMS Bulwark is the second ship of the Royal Navy's Albion-class assault ships. She is one of the United Kingdom's two landing platform docks designed to put Royal Marines ashore by air and by sea though is due to be retired by March 2025.^[6]

Although launched in 2001, delays caused the delivery date to be put back, and the ship entered service on 28 April 2005. Together with Albion, and other amphibious ships, she has provided a larger and more effective amphibious capability than the previous Fearless-class vessels. Between October 2011 and June 2015 she was the fleet flagship of the Royal Navy.^[7][8] She has been in extended upkeep since 2020.^[9] The ship is designed to send large numbers of troops and vehicles to shore as quickly as possible. Bulwark has supported a permanently embarked Royal Marines landing craft unit, 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.^[10] The rear of Bulwark opens and floods a compartment, allowing the boats inside to be launched. The 64-metre (210 ft) flight deck is able to take two Sea King HC4 or Merlin medium-lift helicopters and stow a third. The deck can also support two Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, one down the side of the flight deck and one at the rear of the flight deck. Although the Albion design does not have a hangar, the ship has sufficient equipment to support helicopter operations.

Bulwark was launched at the BAE Systems shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, on 15 November 2001. She is, to date, the most recent surface vessel to have been constructed at Barrow with the yard currently specialising in submarine construction.