1/700 Principe de Asturias R-11 (SH ways)
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by Jose Luis Arrillaga |
1/700 Principe de Asturias R-11 (SH ways)
This is my Principe de Asturias built from 3d model and completed (scratched) with spare parts-photoetched and plastic
The design is basically that of the initial US Navy's Sea Control Ship design of the 1970s, modified with a ski-jump ramp added to better enable V/STOL aircraft takeoff and other modifications to fit Spanish specifications. Constructed by the National Company Bazan (then Empresa Nacional Bazán, now Navantia) in their shipyard at Ferrol, Príncipe de Asturias was delivered to the Navy on 30 May 1988. The construction process had begun eleven years previously, on 29 May 1977. The processing of the steel began on 1 March 1978 and the keel was laid on 8 October 1979. On 22 May 1982, in a ceremony presided over by Juan Carlos I of Spain, the launch took place, with Queen Sofía of Spain as the ship's sponsor. The ship made her first sea trials in November 1987.The Thai warship HTMS Chakri Naruebet, delivered in 1997, is based on the Spanish ship's design.
Armament
The self-defense armament includes four close defense Meroka systems and six chaff decoy launchers. For offensive weapons, the ship relies on the capabilities of her embarked aircraft. For anti-submarine defense, she relies upon the detection capacity and attacks of her ASW helicopters and accompanying frigate battle group.
AircraftThe ship supports 12 AV-8B Harrier II Bravo or AV-8B Harrier II Plus aircraft. The Harriers are armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, in addition to GAU-12U cannon. The carrier also has facilities to support helicopters, usually 6 Sikorsky Sea King SH-3H, 4 Agusta-Bell AB-212 and 2 Sikorsky SH-3 AEW (Airborne Early Warning) helicopters.
The ship supports a maximum of 29 fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft with up to 12 on deck and 17 aircraft in the hangar. The hangar which measures 2,398 m2 is accessed by two flight deck lifts. The 5,100 square metres (55,000 sq ft) flight deck is 176 metres (577 ft) in length. Operating V/STOL aircraft, the carrier has the characteristic "ski-jump" (12° here), with the runway sightly off the longitudinal axis, tilted portside.Withdrawal
In May 2012 rumours emerged that Príncipe de Asturias could be withdrawn from active service and placed in a state of "restrictive standby" along with two of the Santa Maria-class frigates, due to the financial pressures on the Spanish government. Annual operating costs for the carrier and its air group reached €100 million. Any decision on the fate of the vessel would have to be taken at the highest possible level due to the status of the ship as the flagship of Spanish Navy.
In November 2012, her decommissioning was confirmed. The official decommissioning ceremony was held on 6 February 2013. Aviation capability is being provided by the landing helicopter dock ship Spanish ship Juan Carlos I. In 2015 it was reported the ship will be sold for scrap the date for which has not been set yet. Reportedly en route to the Leyal scrapyard in Turkey for dismantling from September 2017 onwards.
