MV Asterix and HADR Missions

Motor Vessel (MV)¹ Asterix was converted by Chantier Davie from a container ship to a replenishment oiler² for the Royal Canadian Navy under the Interim Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (iAOR) project.  The ship has a civil master and crew, and embarks military personnel to operate specific equipment.  Whilst most combatant warships can serve to some extent for humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) missions³, naval auxiliary vessels such as Asterix are particularly suited because of the how they are configured and equipped. 

The following⁴ are capabilities fitted in Asterix useful for HADR missions:

1.         Carry up to 20 refrigeration (reefer) controlled TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers;

2.         Carry up to 18 TEU in a heating-ventilation-air-conditioning (HVAC) controlled environment for other cargo (may be ammunition or other cargo as required for the mission);

3.         Carry up to 12 TEU mounted on deck (no HVAC/reefers);

4.         Carry fifty sea containers of relief goods, with two 30 ton cranes that afford operational flexibility;

5.         Provide limited medical treatment with separate medical sanitation and ventilation systems (NATO Role 1, medical and dental);

6.         Transport and deploy a containerized field hospital ashore and house support staff on board;

7.         Transport a military field hospital medical facility and/or field kitchens to support operations away from the ship;

8.         Limited transport of wheeled vehicles or other cargo in the Tween Deck;

9.         Fueling alongside or at sea of F76 (ship) and F44 (aviation fuel);

10.       Supply potable water alongside or at sea. Can produce over 100,000L of potable water a day at sea;

11.       Supply 6,000 kW (6mW) of power;

12.       Helicopter support for transfer of personnel and supplies, and for medical evacuation (medevac);

13.       Use rigid-hill inflatable boats (RHIB) for security patrols or delivery of supplies;

14.       Embark additional boats (RHIB, Land Craft Vehicle Personnel – LCVP) to deliver supplies, etc.;

15.       Provide rear support for military personnel ashore;

16.       Operate operations room with civilian and military communications;

17.       Provide 500 meals per hour that can be taken ashore;

18.       Operate commercial grade laundry facilities to support afloat and ashore contingents; and

19.       Provide force protection (security);

The following⁴ are capabilities for which Asterix is ‘fitted for but not with’ (FFBNW):

1.         Expanded medical treatment facilities;

2.         Additional bunking for either military personnel or for evacuees (up to 148 additional bunks in FFBNW HADR dormitories);

3.         Additional bunking in Tween Deck cargo area (up to 150 additional, however, no climate control);

5.         Carriage of ship-to-shore connectors such as modular powered barges⁵;

6.         Reinforced deck for two LCVP;

7.         Carriage of gasoline to fuel vehicles, generators, etc.;

8.         Command and control facilities and/or additional office space for coordination of shore based operations; and

9.         Dedicated rooms for non-government organization (NGO) staff.

For a video about Asterix and HADR, see: “Resolve: Helping Canada Help Others”.

Notes:

1.         Civil ships by convention often have their propulsion (e.g., MV or mv or m/v, meaning motor vessel) or role (e.g., RV meaning research vessel) prior to but not part of their name.

2.         See “Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment” http://rusi-ns.ca/auxiliary-oiler-replenishment/ for a description of AOR capabilities. 

3.         Non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO) can be considered a HADR mission.

4.         Information courtesy of Federal Fleet Services, operators of Asterix.

5.         In the military of the United Kingdom, such barges are known as mexeflotes (see “What is a Mexeflote”).