NUSHIP Adelaide, Australia’s second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship, is successfully completing her second and final sea trials in Port Phillip Bay.
The 27,800 tonne warship will return to BAE Systems’ Williamstown shipyard later today where she will then be prepared for delivery to the Department of Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The main focus of the final sea trials was on testing the ship’s combat and communications systems. They were undertaken over a 10 day period throughout the ship’s journey from Williamstown to Jervis Bay, NSW and the return voyage. These areas were chosen to provide maximum flexibility and proximity to the Australian Defence Force assets being used.
The Royal Australian Navy will have the opportunity to perform various routine alongside exercises as it continues to build its capability for crewing the vessel while the ship compartments and systems are progressively handed over to the NUSHIP Adelaide crew as part of the overall ship delivery process.
The crew has already been trained for its role on the RAN’s second LHD ship. BAE Systems Australia trained all 700 crew serving on NUSHIP Adelaide and HMAS Canberra at the Company’s state-of-the-art training facility at Mascot, Sydney.
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Image: BAE Systems