Niuhiti-Class Landing Helicopter Dock

Niuhiti Niuhiti-Class Landing Helicopter Dock
FSS Niuhiti (CH-N01) & FSS Pafa'ite (CH-N02) off the coast of Pihiro Nui
Role		Landing Helicopter Dock
National Origin		Fegeland
Production History
Designer		VAA Naval Industries
Number Built		7
Vessel Characteristics
Displacement		843 Tons
Length		104 m
Propulsion		4x 5 MW Tanaka Motors-4V32 Hydrate-Electric units
Complement		150
Sensors and Processing Systems		TWS Locking Radar
Armament		3x Goalkeeper 30mm CIWS 1x Oerlikon 30mm CIWS 8x Aim-120 NASAMS
Carriage Carried		20x Fixed-Wing Fighters Alternate: 40x Rotary-Wing Helicopters
Service History
Used By		Fegeland, Algiza, Rostrum

The Niuhiti class is a class of aircraft and helicopter carriers in service in the Feguan Navy. The official designation of the class is LHD Niuhiti (Landing Helicopter Dock), with indicatives ranging from CH-N01 to CH-N07 for the 7 sisterships in service in the Feguan Navy and affiliated Commonwealth navies.

History

Origins

The Niuhiti class is the result of a 3-years designing process by VAA Naval Industries in response to the 2041 Blue Act of Defense, a governmental budget law aiming the renewal and expansion of the Feguan Navy.

In 2039, VAA Naval Industries studied and sketched the concept of a multi-purpose light aircraft carrier, code-named XVH-4. The proposed vessel would be conventionally powered, fitted with a rear dock for landing ships and barges (originally the LCT-07 and LCB-09). A wide deck would cover the top, with a command isle located to the starboard side, alike existing aircraft carriers. This deck would allow the deployment of helicopters, VTOL and STOL aircrafts, sub-orbital spacecrafts (such as the Draco- series) and conventional fighters with a short taking-off requirement. Most of Fegeland's indigenous fighters would be able to take off.

When the Blue Act of Defense was approved in 2041, VAA Naval Industries proposed the XVH-4 draft, which was approved. Four initial units were ordered for a total of 4 million FF (Feguan Francs).

Construction began at Ranga Bay Harbor drydocks 4 and 6 (2 units), Fegua (one unit), and Vaimarata (delegated to Huturoan Shipyards for the last unit), with the first unit being completed by 2044 without delays.

Launch & initial career

The first unit, CH-N01, was christened at Ranga Bay on June 2044. The name "FSS Nuihiti" was chosen after the Feguanesian east wind niuhiti. The other 3 ships were christened soon after, after other major Feguanesian winds : FSS Pafa'ite (CH-N02), FSS Toherau (CH-N03), and FSS Maoa'e (CH-N04).

Fire at sea of FSS Maoa'e

FSS Maoa'e (CH-N04) was severely damaged by a fire while at sea during offshore refueling operations near the Kolus Strait in November 2119. The ship was coupled with the AOR FSS Mora Tefai tanker for refueling at the time of the incident. At 06h30, 20 minutes into the refueling operation, fire broke out at the fuel line hatch, likely caused by the abrupt disconnection of the jet fuel line due to rough seas and unexpected movement of both ships. The jet fuel line was slightly shorter than the two HFO lines, while also being thinner and located between the two larger HFO lines, which might have caused sailors to rely on the sagging of the more visible HFO lines under the reel-in catenary to estimate the remaining reel capacity of the fueling apparatus. The jet fuel line was forcibly pulled off before the HFO lines had no sag left, resulting in fuel being spread into the fuel lines hatch and all around the fuel pumping compartment at the rear of the isle. The resulting fire rapidly spread out of control, engulfing the aft section of deck 10 in mere minutes, and damaging the electrical instrumentation of the fuel hatch, preventing FSS Mora Tefai from decoupling the fuel lines, aggravating the fire as heat soon lit the heavier HFO fuel.

Firefighting efforts rapidly proved to be insufficient and the ship issued a mayday call, receiving assistance from the nearby FSS Shikaze and FSS Waimafatu frigates. Other nearby ships from the SFRK, Orion Navy and Gallante Federation also provided assistance, both in rescue and firefighting operations. Capt. Perei Rokui ordered evacuation of the ship after 4 hours of unsuccessful efforts, due to concerns of explosion of the ship's ammo reserves and weapons, but remained on board with a team of volunteers in an ultimate effort to save the ship. Onboard fire suppression systems remained active due to Rokui's decision of maintaining engine power as long as possible. Despite not being equipped with the correct chemicals to fight hydrocarbon fires, the fire suppression systems proved being decisive in cooling the ship structure and preventing the fire from openly spreading across large open spaces like the rear dock and hangar. After 20 hours of fighting, the makeshift team of volunteers and international assistance had managed to put off the last fires without suffering losses. 67 crewmen suffered from light injuries or incommodation due to the dense toxic smokes, 12 of them requiring hospitalization.

The FSS Maoa'e suffered severe damage from the fire, several decks being destroyed, including part of the island, hangar and many of the facilities located on the rear half of the ship. The forward half of the ship, the flight deck, rear dock, most of the hangar and both engine rooms were spared. The ship was discretely towed back to Ranga Bay six days after the incident and spent three years in a drydock of the Ranga Bay Shipyards for internal investigations and early repair works, before being moved to a remote area of the shipyards.

The incident was broadly publicized, and the opacity of the Feguan Navy sparkled political debate, the left wing of both Chambers pleading for decommission of the ship and reforms in the Navy. Public opinion was further influenced by revelations made by several whistleblowers on social media about lax safety standards in the Navy, especially concerning design issues with the refueling system, lax procedures, and inadequate firefighting equipment onboard (notably the absence of anti-hydrocarbon fire chemicals). Capt. Rokui's efforts to save the ship were however acclaimed as "heroic" by the public, and he later received the Feguan Distinguished Service Order (DSOF) in recognition for his efforts.

The resulting political deadlock prevented budget from being allocated to Maoa'e's repairs for several years. She was initially placed in drydock in preparation for the repair works, where she remained for three years after preparatory work was completed, mostly cleaning and safety work. Further progress was stalled due to the aforementioned budget deadlock, and she was moved out of drydock after three years of inactivity due to the operational and financial high cost of drydock occupancy. Berthed at a remote pier of the Ranga Bay shipyards area, she has remained abandoned ever since, whilst never being formally radiated from the Navy's roster. She became a popular (albeit illegal) spot for urbex, being the world's largest technically explorable warship for many years, and a recurring issue for the shipyard security services. An association - the Friends of Maoa'e - was eventually formed with the goal of repurposing her as a museum, but lack of funding and political support for the project led to the association being disbanded in 2132. Ever since, she became a place of meeting for rave parties and counter-culture events, and fell in an increasing state of derelict without proper maintenance. The lack of attention from the shipyard's authorities led groups of ravers occasionally engaging in rudimentary benevolent maintenance of the most accessible parts of the ship, albeit repeated accidents would temporarily bring the abandoned ship under reinforced surveillance.

The ship was acquired in 2140 by Yuki Tanaka and the Wakir Girls to be repurposed to host concerts and public events. The Wakir Girls Holding LLC covered the costs of repairs and retrofitting, and the ship hosted the first edition of Carrier Fest, an electronic music festival, in 2142. Further repairs were completed in the following year, restoring the ship's propulsion and making it able to host events outside of Ranga Bay and cruises across Feguanesia.

Specifications

• Crew: 150 + pilots, technicians and embarked troops, for a max. total of 2500.
• Length: 104m.
• Mass: 843 tons.
• Aircraft capacity: 10 fighters on deck, 10 in hangar, or 15 helicopters on deck and 25 in hangar.

Aircraft operated

• F-21M and F-21H Feikura (naval and STOL variants)
• HN-90M Tako, HN-190 SuperTako, HN-190WAC AWAC-Tako support helicopters
• HK-20 Mao and HK-20M Maomao attack helicopters
• HN-330max bi-rotor transport helicopter (2 units)
• ...

Units in service

Seven ships have been produced by VAA Naval Industries. The Niuhiti class is allowed for export, although only nations of the Commonwealth of Feguanesia have operated it as of 2170.

In the Feguan Navy

• FSS Nuihiti (CH-N01)
• FSS Pafa'ite (CH-N02)
• FSS Toherau (CH-N03)
• FSS Maoa'e (CH-N04) (retired)

In the Algizan Navy

• FSS Iwashi (CH-N05)
• FSS Sankan (CH-N07)

In detached service to the Rostrum Defense Forces

• FSS Spirit of Littoral (CH-N06)

See also

• FSS Maoa'e
• Carrier Fest, a electronic music festival held on board FSS Maoa'e