Australian Navy’s final air warfare destroyer completes trials

The Royal Australian Navy’s third and final air warfare destroyer, future HMAS Sydney, has completed sea trials and should be ready for delivery in February 2020.

Sydney is the third and final ship being delivered by the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance which includes the defense department, Raytheon Australia, and ASC Shipbuilding supported by Navantia Australia.

Defense minister Linda Reynolds said the success of Sydney’s sea trials represented a significant step towards its delivery.

“Sydney will enter into service early next year, and with her sister-ships HMA Ships Hobart and Brisbane, they will be the most potent warships to date.

“By using a combination of Australian and globally proven technologies, these highly capable warships are truly world-class and will allow us to work even closer with our allies.”

Following Sydney’s sea trials, final production work including the integration of the MH60-R helicopter, will be completed ahead of the ship’s provisional acceptance into service in February 2020.

The ships are over 140 metres long, have a top speed of more than 28 knots, a range of about 5000 nautical miles and room for more than 200 crew members. They are equipped with the Aegis weapon system incorporating the AN/ SPY 1D(V) phased array radar in combination with the SM-2 missile.

The ships will provide an air defense system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150 kilometers.

HMAS Hobart – the first ship in the class – and the yet to be commissioned Brisbane recently successfully demonstrated the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), a system which expands the ships’ battlespace awareness by sharing sensor data among a network of CEC-equipped ships and aircraft.