Australia has officially taken delivery of the UK Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship Largs Bay at Falmouth Dockyard in the UK.

Largs Bay, commissioned in 2006, was sold to Royal Australian Navy (RAN) for £65m ($100m) earlier this year.

The 16,200t Bay Class landing ship dock (LSD) vessel can carry cargo equivalent to the combined total carried by HMAS Tobruk and the decommissioned ships, Manoora and Kanimbla.

The vessel can accommodate two large helicopters, and carry 150 light trucks and 350 troops.

The ship will provide the navy with the amphibious capability required for operational and humanitarian support.

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The vessel will be commissioned as HMAS Choules and is expected to enter operational service with theRAN in 2012.