Ex-HMAS Sydney, a former Royal Australian Navy Adelaide-class frigate, left Sydney Harbour today to be towed to Western Australia for recycling.
Minister for Defence Personnel Dan Tehan said the frigate will be recycled by Australian company Birdon Pty Ltd.
“Ex-HMAS Sydney had an illustrious career during her 32 years in service with the Royal Australian Navy,” Mr Tehan said.
“The Adelaide class frigate was involved in operations spanning the Middle East, East Timor, Fiji and the Solomon Islands and earned a Meritorious Unit Citation during the First Gulf War in 1991.
“She was built at the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, USA, and commissioned there on 29 January 1983.
“The former Sydney was decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy on 7 November 2015 to make way for the Hobart class guided missile destroyers, which will provide Australia with an improved warfighting capability,” he said.
Sydney’s journey from the Australian east coast to Henderson, Western Australia, will take up to 22 days.
The Royal Australian Navy said the ship had been offered to States and Territories for use as a dive wreck, however, there was no interest in the ship, so the government decided to recycle her by scrapping.