BRP Batak

{{Main|Balikpapan-class landing craft heavy}}

The eight-vessel Balikpapan class was ordered as a locally manufactured replacement for the Australian Army's LSM-1-class landing ship medium and ALC 50 landing craft.Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, pgs 79, 125 They are {{convert|44.5|m}} long, with a beam of {{convert|10.1|m}}, and a draught of {{convert|1.9|m}}.Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 26 The landing craft have a standard displacement of 316 tons, with a full load displacement of 503 tons. They were propelled by two G.M. Detroit 6–71 diesel motors, providing 675 brake horsepower to the two propeller shafts, allowing the vessels to reach {{convert|9|kn}}. The standard ship's company is 17-strong. The Balikpapans are equipped with a Decca RM 916 navigational radar, and fitted with two {{convert|12.7|mm}} machine guns for self-defence.

The LCHs have a maximum payload of 180 tons; equivalent to 3 Leopard 1 tanks, 13 M113 armoured personnel carriers, 23 quarter-tonne trucks, or four LARC-V amphibious cargo vehicles.Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 79 As a troop transport, a Balikpapan-class vessel can transport up to 400 soldiers between a larger amphibious ship and the shore, or embark 60 soldiers in six-berth caravans for longer voyages.{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/balikpapanclasslch/|title=Balikpapan Class Heavy Landing Craft (LCH), Australia|date=2014|website=Naval Technology|access-date=27 September 2014}} The vessel's payload affects the range: at 175 tons of cargo, each vessel has a range of {{convert|1300|nmi}}, which increases to {{convert|2280|nmi}} with a 150-ton payload, and {{convert|3000|nmi}} when unladen. The flat, box-like keel causes the ships to roll considerably in other-than-calm conditions, limiting their ability to make long voyages.

The ship was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland on 12 December 1971, launched on 16 March 1972 and commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Tarakan on 15 June 1973.Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 20

Following the destruction of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24/25 December 1974, Tarakan was deployed as part of the relief effort; Operation Navy Help Darwin.Sea Power Centre, Disaster Relief The ship sailed from Brisbane on 27 December, and arrived on 13 January.

In 1978, the LCH performed hydrographic surveys of Port Clinton, Queensland.Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 22

Tarakan was placed in reserve on 6 September 1985, one of three landing craft decommissioned for economic reasons. She was reactivated in 1988.

From May 1992 to April 1993, Tarakan was used by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to relocate an overpopulation of Tridacna gigas clams from Orpheus Island to Grub Reef.Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 23 Tarakan was seconded to Operation Beachcomber on several occasions between 1991 and 1995 for hydrographic duties.

In November 1997, Tarakan and Labuan delivered humanitarian supplies to drought-stricken areas in northern Papua New Guinea.

Tarakan was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce during 1999 and 2000.Stevens, Strength Through Diversity, p. 15 She was attached to INTERFET on two occasions; 30 October to 8 December 1999, and 13 January to 16 February 2000. Following an overhaul of the RAN battle honours system, concluded in March 2010, Tarakan was awarded the honour "East Timor 1999–2000" for these deployments.{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |title=Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |archive-date=13 June 2011 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=23 December 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |title=Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064156/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2011 |access-date=23 December 2012}} Tarakan and sister ship Balikpapan returned to East Timor in May 2006 as part of Operation Astute. Tarakan also deployed numerous times in support of Operation Bel Isi II (Peace Monitoring Group on Bougainville) and Operation Anode (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands).

In 2010, Tarakan and Labuan participated in the Pacific Partnership humanitarian deployment. During June and July 2012, Tarakan was used to move personnel and stores to remote communities to facilitate the 2012 Papua New Guinea election.Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 24

File:HMAS Tarakan (L 129).jpg

In October 2013, Tarakan participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/ifr/participants/warships |title=Participating Warships |date=2013 |work=International Fleet Review 2013 website |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210092404/http://www.navy.gov.au/ifr/participants/warships |archive-date=10 December 2013 |access-date=14 December 2015 |url-status=dead}}

After participating in Exercise Croix Du Sud off New Caledonia, Labuan and Tarakan delivered humanitarian supplies to remote coastal settlements in the Solomon Islands in September 2014 as part of Australian support efforts in the region.{{cite news|date=18 September 2014|title=Australian Navy Delivers Supplies to Solomon Islands|url=http://navaltoday.com/2014/09/18/australian-navy-delivers-supplies-to-solomon-islands/|newspaper=Naval Today|access-date=27 September 2014}}

L129 made an appearance in the movie The Thin Red Line.

Tarakan, along with Labuan and Brunei, were decommissioned on 20 November 2014.{{cite news |url=http://news.navy.gov.au/en/Nov2014/Fleet/1616 |title=Final farewell for landing craft |last=Staples |first=Natalie |date=20 November 2014 |work=Navy Daily |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=20 November 2014}}

Tarakan and sister ship {{HMAS|Brunei|L 127|2}} were selected for donation to the Philippine Navy in January 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.rappler.com/nation/82331-australia-gift-philippine-navy-ships |title=Australia's gift to PH Navy: 2 supply ships |last=Fonbuena |first=Carmela |publisher=Rapller |date=29 January 2015 |access-date=30 January 2015}} The intention was to improve the Philippines' sealift capability, which was found lacking following Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. The two landing craft were refurbished and fitted with new navigation and safety equipment, at a total cost of A$4 million.{{cite news |last=Dalton |first=Nick |url=http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/gifted-ships-to-philippines-refitted-in-cairns-for-4m/story-fnjpusyw-1227454522132 |title=Gifted ships to Philippines refitted in Cairns for $4m |publisher=The Cairns Post |date=2015-07-24 |access-date=2015-07-24}} Hand-over of the vessel was originally planned for 17 May 2015,{{cite news|url=http://www.janes.com/article/50306/ex-ran-heavy-landing-craft-to-arrive-in-philippines-by-mid-may |title=Ex-RAN heavy landing craft to arrive in Philippines by mid-May |last1=Cohen |first1=Michael |last2=Hardy |first2=James |date=29 May 2015 |work=IHS Jane's Defence Weekly |access-date=16 June 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713172142/http://www.janes.com/article/50306/ex-ran-heavy-landing-craft-to-arrive-in-philippines-by-mid-may|archivedate=2015-07-13}} but this did not occur.

Instead, the Philippine Navy took possession of the vessels at {{HMAS|Cairns|naval base|6}} on 23 July, with Tarakan commissioning into the Philippine Navy as BRP Batak (AT-299).{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Alexis |url=http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/07/23/1480143/navy-commissions-2-landing-craft-heavy-ships-australia |title=Navy commissions 2 landing craft heavy ships from Australia |publisher=philstar.com (The Philippine Star) |date=2015-07-23 |access-date=2015-07-24}} The two landing craft sailed that day for the Philippines, with a formal christening ceremony to be held following their arrival in early August.{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Alexis |title=Navy to commission 2 landing craft heavy ships from Australia |url=http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/07/12/1476279/navy-commission-2-landing-craft-heavy-ships-australia |access-date=13 July 2015 |work=philstar.com (The Philippine Star)}}

File:BRP_Batak_Sinulog2019.jpg|BRP Batak at the Cebu Sinulog fluvial festival 2019

• List of ships of the Philippine Navy

{{reflist}}

;Books

• {{cite book |last=Gillett |first=Ross |title=Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946 |year=1988 |publisher=Child & Associates |location=Brookvale, NSW |isbn=0-86777-219-0 |oclc=23470364}}
• {{cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |title=Strength Through Diversity: The combined naval role in Operation Stabilise |series=Working Papers |volume=20 |date=2007 |publisher=Sea Power Centre – Australia |location=Canberra |isbn=978-0-642-29676-4 |issn=1834-7231 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Working_Paper_20.pdf |access-date=6 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910150114/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Working_Paper_20.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
• {{cite book |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems |editor=Wertheim, Eric |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |date=2007 |edition=15th |isbn=978-1-59114-955-2 |oclc=140283156 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TJunjRvplU4C |page=26}}

;Journal articles

• {{cite journal|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/Publication:Semaphore_-_Issue_14%2C_2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213160636/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/Publication:Semaphore_-_Issue_14%2C_2004 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-13 |title=Disaster Relief — Cyclone Tracy and Tasman Bridge |publisher=Sea Power Centre |journal=Semaphore |date=December 2004 |volume=2004 |issue=14 |access-date=18 December 2011 }}
• {{cite journal|last=Swinden |first=Greg |date=April 2013 |title=Heavy Lifting for Four Decades: The Navy's Landing Craft Heavy |journal=The Navy |publisher=Navy League of Australia |volume=75 |issue=2 |page=22 |issn=1322-6231}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080403021636/http://www.navy.mil.ph/ Philippine Navy Official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110928112219/http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf Naming and Code Designation of PN Ships]

{{Balikpapan-class LCH}}

{{Philippine Navy ships}}

{{RAN amphibious warfare ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Batak (AT-299)}}

Category:Balikpapan-class landing craft heavy of the Philippine Navy

Category:1972 ships