Given the current dealings with Spain for large naval vessels, and Spain’s cooperation with the Netherlands having resulted in co-development of an AOR, they may have a good product to replace the Durance class vessel.
The 170m-long tanker I’m talking about was designed under a joint initiative between Navantia (formerly Bazan, then Izar) in Spain and the Dutch Netherlands United Shipbuilding Bureau Ltd (NEVESBU) based in the Hague. The Spanish Ministry of Defence ordered the Patino fleet logistic tanker in December 1991. The Patino, which carries the pennant number A14, was built at Navantia’s Ferrol shipyard and was launched in the summer of 1994. The Netherland’s Amsterdam class fast combat support ship, of a very similar design, was built by Merwede and Royal Shelde and commissioned in 1995. Spain and the Netherlands were also pursuing a joint LPD programme which resulted in the Rotterdam for the RNlN and the Galicia for the Spanish Navy.
For info on the Spanish version, see: http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/patino/
the USS Kearsarge looks kinda rusty…n well not so appealing…..has the US navu at least thot of giving it a paint job?
Not sure that’s a recent picture.
Below a pic from March 25, 2005.
April 19 2005
These are the ships the terrorist thankfuly missed.
USS Ashland
USS Kearsarge
And they are both HUGE!!!!! (How can you miss those??)
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