Philip Smart | Adelaide
Australia’s first Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer entered the water on Saturday, with a launch event in Adelaide.
The 7000-tonne displacement ship, NUSHIP Hobart, prepositioned in its launch cradle, descended almost imperceptibly to the water of the space of 90 minutes from 10.30am, while dignitaries such as Australian Defence Minister Kevin Andrews, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Chief of Navy Tim Barrett spoke on the importance of the Air Warfare Destroyer to Australia and the history of the two former HMAS Hobarts in Royal Australian Navy service. The audience also included two crewmen from previous HMAS Hobart vessels in Australian service.
With the keel just a few centimetres from the water the descent was stopped while “launch lady”, Mrs Nicola Hodgman, wife of Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman, cut a tie holding the traditional champagne bottle, which then smashed against the side of the vessel. Premier Hodgman’s grandfather, father, uncle and brother all saw service with the Royal Australian Navy.
The ceremony also included a traditional blessing of the ship, with prayers for Hobart, the ship’s company and its builders.
The vessel was fully afloat just before noon, accompanied by sirens and a water cascade from a fire boat on the Port River.
Hobart has been launched 75% complete. She will be fitted out at the dockside in Adelaide over the coming year, with sea trials expected in 2016.
“The AWD program is one of the largest and most complex Defence projects ever undertaken in Australia and has been instrumental in building a strong shipbuilding capability in Australia,” said Defence Minister Kevin Andrews.
“It is an example of how a skilled Australian workforce working hand-in-hand with international partners can ultimately deliver warships that will have a combination of great endurance, offensive and defensive weapons, flexibility and versatility.”