Mexeflote

The Mexeflote is a landing raft used by the United Kingdom's Royal Logistic Corps and the Royal Australian Navy to move goods and vehicles between ship and shore. It was first used by British military in the 1960s. It was used during the Falklands War, and has been used in humanitarian aid missions. The system was developed from the earlier to the Rhino ferry. The Mexeflote is named after the Military Engineering Experimental Establishment (MEXE) in the UK where it was designed,Thinkdefence: Replacing the Mexeflote
/ref> in conjunction with the neologism "flote" instead of "float".

History

The Mexeflote was introduced to the UK military in the 1960s, and it subsequently saw service in the Falklands War, in which three units were used, including in Southampton, where they were used in loading the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Navy ships going to the Falklands. Mexeflotes were used as causeways between ships in the open ocean, stores were driven between ships over a mexeflote causeway with Fiat Allis forklifts. Sgt Boultby of 17 Port Regiment, RCT was awarded the Military Medal for using his Mexeflote to rescue survivors at Bluff Cove.

In February 1983 a Mexeflote was used to move a Short Sandringham flying boat from Lee-on-Solent to Southampton docks from where it would then be moved to Southampton Hall of Aviation which was then under construction.

In 1994, the Army ordered an additional 50 units, and in 2000 they upgraded 60 of the rafts. The Mexeflote was used during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, to transport supplies to the remote Haitian village of Anse-à-Veau from .

Currently the rafts are crewed by the Royal Logistic Corps and they are largely used by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Bay class landing ships. As part of the Royal Australian Navy's acquisition of the Bay class ship RFA ''Largs Bay'' (renamed for Australian service), two Mexeflotes were also acquired.*

File:HMAS Choules mexeflote.jpg, A Mexeflote suspended from the starboard flank of
File:UK task group links up with Italian carrier in last act of autumn deployment MOD 45167525.jpg, with a Mexeflote on its port side
File:Mexeflote transporting disaster relief teams ashore from RFA Lyme Bay, seen in the background. MOD 45159804.jpg, Mexeflote transporting disaster relief teams ashore from RFA ''Lyme Bay''
File:UK Royal Logistics Corps Mexflote arrives in Anguilla.jpg, Royal Logistics Corps Mexflote arrives in Anguilla
File:GRAND TURK WELCOMES BACK RFA MOUNTS BAY MOD 45164026.jpg, Mexifloat unloading on the beach at Grand Tuck with heavy plant for use in the rebuild after the hurricane

Design

Mexeflote is a powered raft (two diesel engines), used to move goods and vehicles between ship and shore when a pier is not available. The Mexeflote is designed in three sizes;

Each version has three components; bow, stern, and centre, which can be fitted together as required, making the Mexeflote a versatile craft. The different sections allow it to be used as a raft, a floating pontoon, or as a causeway from ship to shore.

Mexeflote was the basis for the design of the Modular Elevated Causeway.

References

Further reading

*''Operational Testing of the Mexeflote Lashing and Launching System for Pontoon Causeways.'' - August 1970. Billie R. Karrh; James J. Traffalis; Naval Civil Engineering Lab.
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Military vehicles of the United Kingdom
Amphibious warfare vessels of the British Army
Royal Logistic Corps