HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01)

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For other ships of this name, see HMAS Adelaide.
HMAS Adelaide in 2007

HMAS Adelaide in 2007
Career (Royal Australian Navy) RAN ensign
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards
Laid down: 29 July 1977
Launched: 21 June 1978
Commissioned: 15 November 1980
Decommissioned: 19 January 2008
Motto: "United For The Common Good"
Nickname: FFG-17 (US hull designation during construction)
Fate: To be sunk as dive reef
Status: Decommissioned, awaiting conversion to dive wreck
General characteristics
Class and type: Adelaide class guided missile frigate
Displacement: 4,100 tons
Length: 138 metres (453 ft)
Beam: 14.3 metres (47 ft)
Draught: 7.5 metres (25 ft)
Complement: 184 + aircrew
Armament: Mk 13 launcher for Harpoon and SM-1MR missiles; 1 × 3 in OTO Melara; 1 × 20 mm Mk 16 Mod 2 Phalanx CIWS; 2 x triple 324 mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes; 1 × MK75 76 mm rapid-fire naval artillery gun
Aircraft carried: 2 x S-70B Seahawk

HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01) was the lead ship of the Adelaide class of guided missile frigates, based on the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates. She was built in the United States of America and commissioned into the RAN in 1980. In 2008, Adelaide was the second ship of the class to be decommissioned, in order to offset the cost of an upgrade of the other four ships.

Contents

[edit] Construction

Adelaide was laid down by Todd Pacific Shipyards at Seattle, Washington 29 July 1977, launched 21 June 1978 and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 15 November 1980. During construction, she was referred to as FFG-17.

[edit] Operational history

In 1990, along with HMAS Darwin, Adelaide deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Damask, Australia's participation in the international coalition against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Adelaide effected the famous rescue of solo sailors Terri Dubois and Tony Bullimore in January 1997 and also saw service in East Timor in 1999, as a part of INTERFET.[1]

Adelaide was the navy ship which intercepted SIEV 4 in the event which sparked the Children overboard affair in October 2001.

Adelaide later saw service again in the Middle East, during two tours of service. These were in support of Operation Slipper in 2001 and as part of Operation Catalyst in 2004.[1]

On 22 July 2007, it was reported that a party of Australian navy personnel from HMAS Adelaide successfully repelled a 4-hour capture attempt from 5 Iranian gunboats near the Iraq-Iran maritime border during Operation Catalyst in December 2004.[2][3]

[edit] Fate

Adelaide at HMAS Kuttabul in February 2008
Adelaide at HMAS Kuttabul in February 2008

Adelaide was originally scheduled to be paid off in November 2006, but delays with the Adelaide class upgrade project required that she be kept in service for another fourteen months, to minimise the impact on the fleet.[4] Adelaide was decommissioned on 19 January 2008 at Fleet Base West, before she was gifted to the New South Wales Government, which plans to sink her as a dive wreck off the coast near Terrigal.[1][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Brendan Nelson, Australian Minister for Defence (2007-02-08). "WARSHIP TO BE SUNK OFF NEW SOUTH WALES CENTRAL COAST". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-02-09.
  2. ^ Aussies repelled five gunboats: ADF - Sydney Morning Herald
  3. ^ Iran 'unable to take Australians' - BBC News
  4. ^ a b Fish, Tim. "Australia's Adelaide ends 27 years of service", Jane's Navy International, Jane's Information Group, 2008-03-01. 

[edit] External links

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Adelaide-class frigate

Adelaide | Canberra | Sydney | Darwin | Melbourne | Newcastle
List of major warship classes of the Royal Australian Navy