Ship designer BMT has unveiled its Ellida Strike multi-role strike ship (MRSS) concept design aimed at aligning with the Royal Navy’s vision for future amphibious operations.
The multidisciplinary engineering, science and technology consultancy has revealed the first details of its MRSS concept. In a press statement, it said Ellida Strike was “…not a direct answer to the anticipated MRSS specification, [but] it showcases design elements that are relevant and demonstrates the full range of capabilities which would protect the vessel in demanding conditions and support a wide range of missions.”
The Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) is a planned class of up to six multi-mission amphibious warfare ships for the Royal Navy, first announced in a 2021 Government white paper.
They would replace the out-of-use Albion class and ageing Bay-class ships and provide strike platforms for littoral combat and amphibious assault operations as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions.
The BMT statement noted: “Reflecting on lessons from recent defence reviews and the Royal Navy’s detailed MRSS requirements, Ellida Strike emphasises scalable capability, modularity and the integration of advanced technologies such as uncrewed systems and flexible well dock operations.”
As per media reports, each Ellida Strike vessel would be 213 metres long, 35 metres wide, and would displace almost 30,000 tonnes. She would have the capacity to accommodate both Dragonfire laser weapons and vertical-launch missile cells to align with the RN’s Future Air Dominance System (FADS) concept.
Her flight deck would be large enough to accommodate two Chinook helicopters at once, and her hangar would be large enough for four medium-sized helicopters or a variety of UAVs and rotary-wing platforms.
A starboard-side vehicle ramp would provide access to her multi-role deck, whil her welldeck would allow easy launch and recovery of landing craft and autonomous vessels.
BMT’s Head of Business Development, U.K. & Europe Tim Neild commented: “Having once commanded a ship of this class, I can say with confidence tha tEllida Strike is the kind of platform every naval officer would want under their command.”
He added: “It’s engineered for mission success and reflects our commitment to supporting the Royal Navy’s future amphibious ambitions.”
A digitised marine scale model of Ellida Strike will be on show at DSEI in London in September.
- You can read more details on the BMT website