RFA Sir Galahad (1987)

RFA Sir Galahad (L3005) was a landing ship logistics (LSL) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, later in service with the Brazilian Navy as the Garcia D'Avila.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Sir Galahad.
RFA Sir Galahad arriving in Brazil.
History
United Kingdom
Name: RFA Sir Galahad
Ordered: 6 September 1984
Builder: Swan Hunter
Laid down: 12 May 1985
Launched: 13 December 1986
Commissioned: 25 November 1987
Decommissioned: 2006
Out of service: 2007
Identification: IMO number: 8414635
Fate: Sold to Brazil
Brazil
Name: Garcia D'Avila
Launched: 1987
Commissioned: 4 December 2007
Decommissioned: 29 October 2019[1]
Identification:
Status: Inactive
General characteristics
Class and type: Landing ship logistics (LSL)
Displacement: 8,751 tonnes
Length: 460 ft (140 m)
Beam: 64 ft (20 m)
Draught: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion: Two 6600 hp (4,900 kW) Mirrlees Blackstone K9 Major Mk. II diesels; one 400 hp (300 kW) bow thruster
Speed:
  • 14 knots (26 km/h) (cruising)
  • 17 knots (31 km/h) (max)
Capacity:
  • 400 troops
  • 3,440 tonnes of supplies
Complement: 49
Armament:
  • Two Oerlikon 20 mm guns;
  • two 7.62 mm machineguns
Aircraft carried:

Construction and design

Sir Galahad was ordered on 6 September 1984 to a design by the shipbuilder Swan Hunter, as a replacement for the landing ship of the same name that had been sunk in the 1982 Falklands War. The ship was laid down at Swan Hunter's Wallsend shipyard on 12 July 1985, was launched on 13 December 1986 and completed on 19 July 1987, entering service on 7 December that year.[2][3]

The ship was 140.16 m (459 ft 10 in) long overall and 126.00 m (413 ft 5 in) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 19.50 m (64 ft 0 in) and a draught of 4.50 m (14 ft 9 in) at full load and 3.97 m (13 ft 0 in) light. Displacement was 7,400 long tons (7,500 t) light and 8,541 long tons (8,678 t) full load. The ship was powered by two Mirrlees Blackstone K9 Major diesel engines, rated at a total of 13,320 bhp (9,930 kW) which drove two propeller shafts, giving a speed of 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h). The ship had a range of 13,000 nmi (15,000 mi; 24,000 km).[2]

Service

RFA Sir Galahad was built by Swan Hunter and entered service in 1988. She was named and given the identical pennant number to the Sir Galahad sunk in the Falklands War. Built as a combined landing craft and ferry with two flight decks for helicopters and bow and stern doors, there was capacity for around 400 troops and 3,440 tonnes of supplies.

She was deployed in 1991 for Operation Granby, 1995 in Angola Operation Chantress and in 2003 for Operation Telic to transport supplies. In 2003 Sir Galahad transported humanitarian aid, docking in Umm Qasr Port on 28 March 2003, after being delayed while naval mines were cleared.

On 26 April 2007, it was announced that she was to be purchased by Brazil.[4] On 20 July 2006, the ship sailed from Marchwood to Portsmouth, to be decommissioned.[5]

She was commissioned into the Brazilian Navy as Garcia D'Avila on 4 December 2007.[6]

In June 2019 it was announced than the ship will be decommissioned on 29 October 2019.[1]

  • RFA Sir Galahad arrives in the Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr on 28 March 2003
  • RFA Sir Galahad in Umm Qasr, delivering the first shipment of humanitarian aid from Coalition forces.
  • RFA Sir Galahad in 2003.
  • Ex RFA Sir Galahad (G-29) in 2007.
  • Ex RFA Sir Galahad (G-29) arriving in Brazil 2008.

References
  1. "Relembre a experiência do recebimento do NDCC Garcia D'Avila". Poder Naval. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  2. Prézelin & Baker 1990, p. 721
  3. Brown & Moore 2012, pp. 152–153
  4. "Decommissioned Ships". SeaWaves Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  5. "The end of an era for naval legend". BBC News. 20 July 2006. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  6. "Brazilian Navy Takes Delivery of Garcia D'Avila Landing Ship". Deagel. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  • Brown, David K.; Moore, George (2012). Rebuilding the Royal Navy: Warship Design Since 1945. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-150-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Prézelin, Bernard; Baker, A. D., III, eds. (1990). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-250-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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