NUSHIP Adelaide completes final sea trials
NUSHIP Adelaide, Australia’s second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship, is successfully completing her second and final sea trials in Port Phillip Bay today.
The 27,800 tonne warship will return to BAE Systems’ Williamstown shipyard this afternoon 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.
Director of Maritime, BAE Systems Australia, Bill Saltzer said the upcoming handover would be a very proud day for all involved with building NUSHIP Adelaide, but it won’t be the end of the company’s involvement with those mighty ships.
“As prime contractor for LHD in-service support, our team of experienced engineers, technicians and logisticians in both Sydney and Williamstown will continue to be the key partner to the CASG and RAN in managing the availability of these two ships at Garden Island, Sydney,” Mr Saltzer said.
“Our LHD team is now focused on the final elements of work in preparing NUSHIP Adelaide for delivery.
“Some of the team members on the LHD build program will then transition to the support services group.”
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