Canberra Returns from Sea Trials

Landing Helicopter Dock ship, the Canberra, one of the largest ships ever built for the Royal Australian Navy, yesterday entered Sydney Harbour for the first time.

“Canberra”, the first of two LHDs being built by the BAE Systems’ Williamstown yard for the Australian Defence Force, entered Sydney after her first contractor trials and testing at sea.

Defence Materiel Organisation’s LHD Project Manager, Captain Craig Bourke said the ship was visiting Sydney to use the dry dock.

“The ship is scheduled to undertake a commercial docking in the Dry Dock in Sydney, to receive a hull clean and final paint before proceeding to sea and returning to Williamstown to commence the final phase of Contractor sea trials involving communications and combat systems. The first set of Contractor sea trials have been focussed on tuning the propulsion system and testing and trialling the hull, mechanical and electrical systems of the vessel.”

During her visit to Sydney, in addition to contractor work, the ship’s company will be carrying out important familiarisation and induction training in preparation to take responsibility when BAE Systems hand the ship over to Defence.

The “Canberra” is more than 230 metres long, 27.5 metres high and weighs around 27,500 tonnes. The vessel can carry a combined armed battle group of more than 1100 personnel, 100 armoured vehicles and 12 helicopters and features a 40-bed hospital.

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March 14, 2014