Engineering:Italian ship Alliance (A 5345)

Alliance A5345, La Spezia
History
Italy
Name:	Alliance
Owner:	NATO
Builder:	Fincantieri – Cantiere Navale del Muggiano (La Spezia)
Laid down:	18 June 1984
Launched:	9 July 1986
Commissioned:	15 April 1988 Germany 31 March 2016 Italy
Homeport:	La Spezia
Identification:	Pennant number: A 5345 Hull number: 921 MMSI number: 247366500 Callsign: IALL
Status:	Active
Notes:	Cost: Lire 50 billions (1985)
General characteristics
Type:	Research vessel
Tonnage:	3,180 GT
Displacement:	2.920 t (2.874 long tons) full load 2.466 t (2.427 long tons) standard
Length:	93 m (305 ft 1 in) LOA 82 m (269 ft 0 in) LPP
Beam:	15.2 m (49 ft 10 in) (molded)
Draught:	6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) full load
Propulsion:	Main diesel driven propulsion generators, 1,800 kW (2,400 bhp) auxiliary gas turbine driven propulsion generator, 967 kW (1,297 bhp)/400 kW (540 bhp) main generators: 2 x diesel engines Grandi Motori Trieste GMT B-230.12, silenced, 1,890 kW (2,530 bhp) each 2 x main generators [AEG] Type DKBL 634/06 1,799 kW (2,412 bhp) auxiliary generators: 1 x TAG Kongsberg KG2-3C, 1,430 kW (1,920 bhp) 1 x auxiliary generator AEG Type DKBH 4504/04, dual rated 967 kW (1,297 bhp)/400 kW (540 bhp) electric propulsion engines: 2 x electric engines MEP SAM Electronic (ex-AEG) GC312/128/8 KZ 90/24, 1,470 kW (1,970 bhp) ship service engines: 3 x diesel engine generators Isotta Fraschini ID36-SS-6V (silenced), 480 kW (640 bhp) each 2 x propeller 1 x bow thruster
Speed:	16.3 knots (30.2 km/h; 18.8 mph) (sustained speed)
Range:	9,450 nmi (17,500 km; 10,870 mi) at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) (Fuel consumption = approx. 8 tons per 24 hours of economical steaming at 16.3 knots (30.2 km/h; 18.8 mph). 5 tons per 24 hours of low speed scientific operations)
Endurance:	30 days, port to port
Complement:	69, of which: 44 crew, of which 5 officials (accommodations in 5 single suites, 1 single cabin and 19 double cabins) 25 scientists (accommodations in 1 single suite, 16 single cabins and 4 double cabins)
Sensors and processing systems:	2 x navigation radar Kelvin Hughes Nucleus 6000 (X and S band) Kongsberg K-Bridge INBS Kongsberg MDM 400 Marine Data Management system ELAC echo sounder LA25100
Notes:	fuel capacity: 315 m3 fresh water capacity: 100 t (98 long tons) 4 x cranes: 2 each of 5t SWL with 13m outreach, 2 each of 2t SWL of 10m outreach 2 x ‘A-frames, 1 forward 16t SWL, 1 aft 10t SWL (50t snap load) 2 x towing winches – 20t @ 12 knots 2 x diesel jet drive rigid inflatable workboats (RHIB): Delta/Yanmar TD 730 hp (540 kW) and MST/Volvo Delta TD 190 hp (140 kW)

Alliance (A5345) is a Research Vessel owned by NATO and operated by Marina Militare as a NATO Research vessel and owned by the CMRE – Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation, in La Spezia, Italy. Alliance has the status of an auxiliary ship of the Marina Militare.

The function of the NRV Alliance is to conduct a wide range of acoustic, oceanographic research and engineering technology tasks on behalf of NATO, Marina Militare and third party organizations when 'on hire' for charters in global waters.
Particular care has been taken in the design and construction to create a versatile research platform that is adaptable to the Centre's needs and reduce noise output to the lowest possible level in order to minimize interference with research work.

History

Commissioned on 15 April 1988 to SACLANT (Undersea Research Centre – SACLANTCEN, then named NATO Underwater Research Centre – NURC and now CMRE – Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation) of La Spezia, under the German flag.

Alliance was transferred to the Italian naval flag on 9 April 2016. The vessel is manned and operated on behalf of NATO by the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 22 December 2015.

General Information

Source:

• primary working area (aft): 200 m² (2,200 sq ft)
• secondary working area (forward): 200 m² (2,200 sq ft)
• maintenance, support and all Labs: 370 m² (4,000 sq ft)
• scientific storage areas: 500 m3
• capacity to embark up to 5 standard ISO1C, 20 ft (6.1 m), and up to 3 standard ISO 1D, 10 ft (3.0 m), containers

Sensing devices

• multibeam echo sounder Kongsberg SIMRAD EM-302, 30 kHz
• echo sounder Atlas Deso 30, 33 kHz
• echo sounder Atlas deso 25, 210 kHz
• echo sounder FWC, 100 kHz
• SMS Sound Velocity Probe C Sonde SVP 10
• acoustic tracking system
• E.M. Speed Log Skipper DL850, 270 kHz
• Acoustic Range and Bearing Indicator, 9–11 kHz
• Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) RDI, 75 kHz
• Conductivity/temperature sensor Sea Bird, 8–12 kHz
• Underwater telephone ELAC LAZ5100, 8-11.5 kHz

Communication Systems

There are 2 independent systems for ship communications and for scientific trials (with some overlap). The ship system, which uses radios complying with SOLAS and GMDSS rules, includes Inmarsat systems (e-mail, fax and phone).

• 2 x Elmer ST-1075, 1000 watt HF transmitter
• 2 x Elmer ST-675, 600 watt HF transmitter
• 2 x Elmer SRT-619, UHF transceiver
• Sailor RT144C, VHF transceiver
• Furuno FM-2510, VHF transceiver
• Kelvin Hughes Band V-Sat SATCOM, Satellite Communication System

See also

• Italian ship Elettra (A 5340)
• ROCS Ta Kuan (AGS-1601)

• 

  Research vessel Alliance operated by Marina Militare