Patrick Durrant | Sydney
NUSHIP Adelaide will dock at BAE Systems Williamstown shipyard tomorrow following successful initial sea trials and first docking at the RAN base at Garden Island in Sydney.
The sea trials were conducted from 17 to 26 June on the voyage to Sydney and then during the voyage back following the successful docking. BAE Systems Director of Maritime Bill Saltzer said the trials had consisted of approximately 240 hours of testing over a period of 20 days. During the docking the ship's hull and flight deck were cleaned and repainted.
Sea trials are designed to test the ship’s systems to ensure that all perform to their capability in a range of scenarios. This first set of trials focused mainly on platform systems, while the next set of trials will focus mainly on combat and communication systems.
NUSHIP Adelaide will remain at Williamstown for some final outfitting and integration activities in preparation for the second set of sea trials which is planned for mid-late August.
Saltzer said the trials test the ship and all its systems in the ‘at-sea’ environment in which it will be expected to operate in the service of the Royal Australian Navy.
"It is also the first opportunity for the new officers and crew to be engaged in on-board operations following the extensive training program that they undergo at our training facility in Mascot, Sydney," Saltzer said.
He added the ship had performed exceptionally well and is well ahead of where HMAS Canberra was at the same time in her production schedule.
The handover of NUSHIP Adelaide to the RAN for commissioning is expected to occur towards the end of September this year. Her sister ship HMAS Canberra was commissioned in late November last year.