The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac Class frigate HMAS Arunta sailed into Sydney this week for the first time since completing the Anti Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade in Western Australia.
Welcoming Arunta back to Fleet Base East was Commodore Jonathan Mead, AM, RAN, the RAN’s Commander Surface Force.
“Arunta is the second of the Anzac Class frigates to undergo the ASMD upgrade – the first since the initial trial of the upgrade program was successfully completed and tested on HMAS Perth in 2012.
“The ASMD Upgrade provides our Anzac Class frigates with significantly increased capability, particularly in defending against missile attacks,” Commodore Mead said.
The upgrade program is a rolling program, with HMAS Warramunga entering the program as Arunta emerged from it, with Warramunga’s crew completing a ‘hull swap’ to become the crew of Arunta.
Since completing the upgrade Arunta and her crew have been busy in bringing the ship up-to-speed, ready to undertake any mission required of it.
Arunta’s Commanding Officer, Commander David Tietzel, CSM, has been pleased with the performance of his ship and crew during this period.
“After completing a series of Sea Qualification Trials in Western Australian waters, we proceeded to Darwin where we commenced Unit Readiness Evaluations.
“We completed the first week of these evaluations as a single unit, prior to joining the ‘Red Force’ fleet participating in Exercise KAKADU 2014.
“By undertaking these evaluations in a high-end warfighting scenario, we were able to prove the capability provided by a modern ship like Arunta, manned by a high performing crew,” Commander Tietzel said.
Arunta will continue her workup and unit readiness program on the east coast, working with a variety of other RAN ships, before returning to the West, where she will participate in Exercise DISTANT SHORES, the commemoration of the embarkation of Australian Forces at Albany in 1914 for World War I.
[mappress] Press Release, October 06, 2014; Image: Australian Navy