Warship Technology: January 2020
The UK-based ship design and systems engineering group has outlined details of a concept design activity, given the name Ellida, which has explored a family of multirole support vessels intended to address navies’ needs for a flexible, multifunctional platform configurable to a broad range of afloat support and logistics tasks.
Based on a new twin-shaft hullform, the Ellida concept is intended to complement the existing Aegir and Salvas families to complete the ‘trinity’ of afloat support and logistics vessels designs developed by BMT.
The first member of the Ellida family is a 200m multi-role support and logistics vessel designed to provide the capabilities needed in future global operations by combining the flexibility of a large hull with internal vehicle and stowage decks, weather deck stowage and additional accommodation. As such, the Ellida 200 vessel is seen to have potential for worldwide strategic movement of vehicles and equipment; tactical transportation of vehicles, troops and supplies; logistics support to amphibious operations; mine countermeasures support; replenishment at sea (RAS)/vertical replenishment (VERTREP); operational maintenance and support; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and facilities to support a large scale non-combatant evacuation operation.
BMT’s Ellida concept is underpinned by the experience gained by the company in the design of the five Aegir vessels now in service: the four Tide-class tankers operating with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary; and the logistic support vessel (LSV) HNoMS Maud, which was commissioned into the Royal Norwegian Navy in May 2019.
