Assault ship heads home

The Galicia, a Spanish Navy amphibious assault ship, left Grand Harbour yesterday after a three-day visit.

The ship is returning home after providing humanitarian support to tsunami victims in Indonesia.

The Galicia and its sister ship Castilla can be deployed in support roles in military and civil operations such as humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Based at the Rota, Cadiz, naval base in Spain, the ship has a crew of 115 and is fitted with a nuclear, biological and chemical warfare decontamination and protection system. She has a fully equipped hospital.

The Galicia class is equipped with two 12-barrel 20mm Meroka close-in weapons systems with a range of 2,000 metres and a rate of fire of over 1,400 rounds per minute.

The ship can carry up to 543 fully equipped troops and an additional 72 aircrew, special operations staff or training crew. Her decks can house up to 130 armoured personnel carriers or 33 main battle tanks.