The Ship Model Forum

Australian Navy’s Hobart-class ship begins builder sea trials

14 September 2016

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) air warfare destroyer, Hobart, has begun its first series of sea trials.

During these trials, the ship’s propulsion, maneuvering, auxiliary, control and navigation systems performance will be validated.

The builder’s sea trials will be conducted off the coast of South Australia throughout this month.
"The ship will be operated under the command of a civilian master and crew, and key equipment suppliers."

During this period, the ship will be operated under the command of a civilian master and crew, and key equipment suppliers who will perform the system testing and trials.

(...SNIPPED)

Second Air Warfare Destroyer Launched In Adelaide
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued December 15, 2016)

The Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) program reached a significant milestone in Adelaide today as the second of three destroyers was formally named and launched into Australian waters for the first time.

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, and Minister for Defence Personnel, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, applauded the hard work and dedication of thousands of workers across Australia.


Minister Tehan represented the Government as the Brisbane was officially named and launched.


(...SNIPPED)

Australia’s first air warfare destroyer completes sea acceptance trials

Australia’s first air warfare destroyer NUSHIP Hobart returned to Adelaide after completing its sea acceptance trials off the coast of South Australia.

Hobart spent the past five weeks demonstrating its on-board weapons capabilities, including 21 days at sea, where it conducted 20 platform system tests and 45 combat system tests.

AWD alliance program manager Craig Bourke said the success of the sea acceptance trials demonstrated the capacity of Australia’s defence industry to build and integrate ships to meet specific defence needs.

(...SNIPPED)

Australia’s first air warfare destroyer heads for commissioning site

Some two months after being officially delivered to the Australian defense ministry in Adelaide, Royal Australian Navy’s first air warfare destroyer Hobart has set sail for its commissioning site in Sydney.

According to The Advertiser, the future HMAS Hobart is set to be commissioned in a ceremony in Sydney on September 23.

NUSHIP Hobart (as the destroyer will receive the “Her Majesty’s Australian Ship” designation only after it has been commissioned) was delivered to the government after completing trials in March this year.

(...SNIPPED)

Joint Media Release - Prime Minister - Minister for Defence - Minister for Defence Industry - HMAS Hobart Commissioning
23 September 2017


The safety and security of Australia and our interests around the globe has been significantly strengthened with the commissioning of the first Australian-built Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Hobart, today.

Hobart brings together the best of Australian and global technology to be one of the world’s most potent and lethal warships. She will provide air defence for accompanying ships, in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft.

The commissioning of Hobart is the culmination of the hard work of thousands of Australians who built and delivered the future capability of the Royal Australian Navy. The crew and shipbuilders who have brought this new capability into service are to be congratulated on their achievement.

The Turnbull Government has committed to a continuous sovereign naval shipbuilding program that will keep our Navy equipped with the latest technology for generations to come and Hobart demonstrates our commitment and ability to meet that promise.

(...SNIPPED)

HMAS Hobart sets sail as commissioned warship for first time

The first of Royal Australian Navy’s new Aegis-equipped destroyers HMAS Hobart got underway on October 18, setting sail for the first time as a commissioned warship.

Her departure from Fleet Base East, Garden Island, Sydney on Wednesday heralded the much anticipated return to sea for the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) of the Royal Australian Navy.

During her journey to and from Jervis Bay on the New South Wales south coast, HMAS Hobart’s ship’s company will perform a series of exercises to test core mariner skills.

(...SNIPPED)

Australia’s second air warfare destroyer ‘Brisbane’ starts sea trials

Royal Australian Navy’s future air warfare destroyer (AWD) Brisbane has started her first phase of sea trials, the alliance in charge of delivering the destroyers announced on Monday.

The second of three destroyers to be built will spend the coming weeks on sea trials, marking further progress towards her delivery to the Royal Australian Navy next year.

This first phase of sea trials will test the ship’s propulsion, manoeuvring, control and navigation systems and will be followed by a more advanced phase of sea trials next year to test Brisbane’s combat and communications systems.

“Our workforce of more than 1,700 in Adelaide has improved and evolved the production and set to work of these ships, with our whole team working hard to achieve this milestone ahead of post-reform schedule targets,” said Paul Evans, AWD Alliance General Manager.

(...SNIPPED)

No Shortage of Milestones for DDG-39
(Source: Royal Australian Navy; posted Feb 15, 2018)

HMAS Hobart has achieved a number of firsts for her class and the Royal Australian Navy over the past several weeks off the east coast of Australia.

Hobart successfully tested her 20mm Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) against an inflatable surface target, marking the first ever time an Australian warship has fired a CIWS capable of striking air and surface targets.

The ship’s five-inch main gun was tested against a towed target from varying distances and directions in an early morning naval gunfire exercise.

Two practice delivery torpedoes were also fired from the port and starboard tubes with both torpedoes recovered for analysis by Navy’s Surface Forces branch.

(...SNIPPED)

Australia Tests Cooperative Engagement Capability on Air Warfare Destroyer

Australia’s new guided-missile destroyers successfully tested a new wide-area air defense system this month.
By Franz-Stefan Gady
April 19, 2018

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) first-of-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart and its sister ship NUSHIP Brisbane have successfully completed a series of user trials this month to test the so-called cooperative engagement capability (CEC), a new wide-area integrated air defense system, the Australian Department of Defense (DoD) said on April 17. CEC allows the real-time sharing of sensor data on air targets, including incoming enemy aircraft and cruise missiles, among CEC-equipped warships.

The CEC tests took place over the past few weeks off the coast of South Australia. CEC allows one ship to engage an incoming target based on the other ship’s data. The Hobart-class air warfare destroyers are the first warships outside the U.S. Navy to be equipped with CEC. CEC “is one technology that will form a part of the Australian Joint Integrated Fires Capability being implemented in the Australian Defense Force,” the DoD added.

(...SNIPPED)

AWD Alliance to launch Australia’s third and final Hobart-class destroyer

AWD Alliance, the alliance in charge of delivering Royal Australian Navy ‘s air warfare destroyers, is set to launch the third and final destroyer in the class in a ceremony on Saturday, May 19.

NUSHIP Sydney, as the ship is to be named, will be launched at ASC’s Adelaide shipyard.

Sydney is entering the water two and a half years after construction on the ship officially started with a keel-laying ceremony in December 2015.

(...SNIPPED)

AWD Intellectual Property
May 23, 2018

The intellectual property for the Hobart Class family of warships has transferred to Navantia Australia, which ensures Australia now has sovereign control over our Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) capability.

Minister Pyne welcomed the transfer, which coincided with the successful launch and formal naming of the third and final AWD, Sydney.

“Sydney’s float off reflects a remarkable 60 per cent productivity improvement over the first ship,” Minister Pyne said.

“This is in no small way due to the highly skilled workers from ASC, Raytheon Australia, Navantia Australia and Defence.”

(...SNIPPED)

Australia Accepts 3rd & Final Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer
Xavier Vavasseur 20 Feb 2020
This milestone occurs 13 years after the start of the project. The program has been delivered under an Alliance-based contract arrangement (the AWD Alliance) between the Commonwealth of Australia (represented by the Department of Defence) as owner-participant, and industry partners, ASC and Raytheon Australia, supported by ship designers Navantia.
Navantia, as the platform designer, has issued the final AWD Designer certificate, which will be the document that the Alliance gives to the Australian Government as part of the closing process. Commodore Steve Tiffen, Director General of Shipbuilding, praised everyone involved in the AWD Program with the following words:
(...SNIPPED)