HMAS Wewak

{{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, pp. 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 are 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 13-strong. The Balikpapans are equipped with a Decca RM 916 navigational radar, and fitted with two {{convert|7.62|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.

Wewak was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland on 21 March 1972, launched on 19 May 1972, and commissioned into the RAN on 10 August 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, Wewak was deployed as part of the relief effort; Operation Navy Help Darwin.Sea Power Centre, Disaster Relief Wewak was the last of the 13 ships to join the operation; sailing from Brisbane on 2 January 1975, and arriving on 13 January.

Wewak was placed in reserve on 16 August 1985; one of three landing craft decommissioned for economic reasons.Swinden, Heavy Lifting for Four Decades, p. 22 She was reactivated in late 2000, but only after lengthy delays, as during the intervening years, she had been used as a parts hulk for the other Balikpapans.

Wewak was decommissioned on 11 December 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/defencenews/stories/2012/dec/1211a.htm |title=HMAS Wewak decommissioned |date=11 December 2012 |publisher=Department of Defence|access-date=13 December 2012}}

The Philippine Navy has shown interest in acquiring the ship, after the Australian government donated 2 other sisterships, {{HMAS|Brunei|L 127|6}} and {{HMAS|Tarakan|L 129|6}} in 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.janes.com/article/48454/australia-to-donate-heavy-landing-craft-to-philippines |title=Australia to donate heavy landing craft to Philippines |date=29 January 2015 |publisher=IHS Jane's 360 |access-date=4 November 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.janes.com/article/53270/philippines-edges-closer-to-australian-landing-craft-procurement |title=Philippines edges closer to Australian landing craft procurement |date=29 July 2015 |publisher=IHS Jane's 360 |access-date=4 November 2015}} It was later confirmed that the Philippine Navy is acquiring three more LCH from Australia, including ex-HMAS Wewak, at a token price.{{cite news |url=http://www.janes.com/article/55587/australia-confirms-philippines-acquisition-of-three-ex-ran-landing-craft |title=Australia confirms Philippines' acquisition of three ex-RAN landing craft |date=27 October 2015 |publisher=IHS Jane's 360 |access-date=4 November 2015}}

{{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 |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 |year=2007 |edition=15th |isbn=978-1-59114-955-2 |oclc=140283156 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TJunjRvplU4C}}

Journal articles

• {{cite journal |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/Publication:Semaphore_-_Issue_14%2C_2004 |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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213160636/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/Publication:Semaphore_-_Issue_14%2C_2004 |archive-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}
• {{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 |pages=20–24 |issn=1322-6231}}

{{Portal bar|Australia|Royal Australian Navy|Engineering}}

{{Royal Australian Navy}}

{{Balikpapan-class LCH}}

{{RAN amphibious warfare ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wewak}}

Category:Balikpapan-class landing craft heavy

Category:1972 ships