Aesculapius-class hospital ship

HMS Aesculapius participating in sea trials
Class overview
Name:	Aesculapius-class hospital ship
Builders:	Maritime Imperial
Operators:	Nikolian Red Cross
Built:	2015-present
In service:	February 2016
In commission:	January 2016
Planned:	4
Completed:	4
Active:	4
General characteristics
Class and type:	Aesculapius-class hospital ship
Type:	Hospital ship
Displacement:	16,000 tons
Length:	180m
Beam:	25m
Propulsion:	twin diesel engines
Capacity:	500 beds
Crew:	~200 crew members and around 600 medical staff
Aircraft carried:	Maksimov Ma-22
Aviation facilities:	Stern hangar with capacity of two small helicopters or one medium size helicopter

The Aesculapius-class hospital ship is a class of hospital ship designed and built by Maltropian shipwright, the Maritime Imperial. The class is built under a partnership agreement between Maritime Imperial and the Nikolian Ministry of Health, by which the former designs and builds the vessel and the latter sources medical equipment from Nikolian suppliers.

The first contractor was the Nikolian Red Cross, which uses the vessel for humanitarian tours to developing countries and for humanitarian aid.

Design and capabilities

Facilities

The lower eight decks of the Aesculapius-class hospital ships are a modern hospital with state-of-the art medical equipment. They decks consist of 12 operating theatres, 35 Intensive Care Units and 500 beds, with the possibility of an extra fifty beds when necessary. The vessels also have a CT scanner, four X-ray machines, laboratories and an ophthalmic unit. In addition to the vessel's vast diagnostic capabilities, the physicians can consult with Nikolian medical institutes via communications satellitesatellite communication.

The upper decks are technical and non-medical part of the vessel. They have room for around 800 crew members, including medical staff, families, couples and individuals. There is a school for all ages up to last year of high school, a day care, a restaurant and a cafe, a library, a Gymnasium, a small supermarket and a launderette. The vessels also contain a fleet of 28 vehicles that are usually used in land-based operations, such as screening camps.

Vessels

Commissioned

As of June 2017 there are seven vessels in active service:

• RCV Hope - Nikolian Red Cross
• RCV Aesculapius - Nikolian Red Cross
• HMS Placeholdership1 - Nikolian Royal Navy
• HMS Placeholdership2 - Nikolian Royal Navy
• HMS Resurgent - Aquitaynian Navy
• LM Dian Cécht - Maltropian Royal Navy
• LM Miach - Maltropian Royal Navy