HMAS Melbourne (FFG 05)

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For other ships of this name, see HMAS Melbourne.

Career Australia
HMAS Melbourne docked at Fleet Base East
Builder:	AMECON
Laid down:	12 July 1985
Launched:	5 May 1989
Commissioned:	15 February 1992
Status:	Active
Homeport:	Fleet Base East
General Characteristics
Displacement:	4,100 tonnes full load
Length:	138 m
Beam:	14 m
Draught:	7.5 m
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines providing 41,000 hp (490 kW)
Speed:	29 knots
Range:	4,500 miles at 20 knots
Complement:	184 (not including aircrew)
Armament:	MK41 VLS for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile; Mk 13 launcher for Harpoon and SM-1 missiles; 1×76mm OTO Melara; 1×20mm Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS; 2 x triple 324 mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:	2 x S-70B Seahawk
Motto:	"Vires Acquirit Eundo" (She gathers strength as she goes)
Badge:

HMAS Melbourne [1] (FFG 05) is an Adelaide class guided missile frigate laid down by AMECON at Williamstown in Victoria on 12 July 1985, launched on 5 May 1989 and commissioned on 15 February 1992.

Melbourne has seen active service on four occasions since commissioning. Her first tour was to the Persian Gulf in 1996 followed by a deployment to East Timor in 1998 operating in support of INTERFET and United Nations forces. In 2002, Melbourne participated in the third rotation of RAN ships to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Slipper where she enforced United Nations sanctions against Iraq. In 2003, the ship returned to Iraqi waters in support of Operation Catalyst protecting Iraqi territorial waters following Operation Iraqi Freedom.