Australia sends two Anzac-class frigates on regional deployments

February 4, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Two Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigates have sailed from Fleet Base West in Western Australia as part of the Australian Defence Force’s Regional Presence Deployment program.

HMA Ships Toowoomba and Warramunga will conduct exercises and engagements in South, Southeast and East Asia in Australia’s first and second Regional Presence Deployments for 2026.

Regional Presence Deployments allow Australia to maintain a near‑continuous maritime presence within the region to support Indo‑Pacific security.

Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, AO, CSC, RAN, said the deployment of these ships is consistent with Australia’s decades‑long practice of engaging regional allies and partners.

“Our engagement and cooperation with other nations – whether it’s through port visits, training and exercises, or other activities – sends a clear message in the region. The current deployment follows the deployment of HMA Ships Brisbane and Ballarat to our region in late 2025,” Jones stated.

“This deployment underscores Australia’s presence in the Indo‑Pacific and our commitment to upholding international law and supporting a stable, open and rules‑based maritime environment,” Commanding Officer HMAS Toowoomba, Commander Alicia Harrison, RAN, commented.

Commanding Officer HMAS Warramunga, Commander Ken Brown, RAN, said the crew of HMAS Warramunga had demonstrated a high level of professionalism and commitment throughout preparations for the deployment.

“The crew’s readiness reflects the standards expected of the Royal Australian Navy and ensures we are building and maintain the capability required to contribute to Australia’s regional presence in the Indo‑Pacific.”

The Anzac-class frigates are long-range, multi-role warships based on the German MEKO 200 modular design and form a core part of the Royal Australian Navy’s surface combatant fleet.

Designed for operations across air, surface and sub-surface warfare, the class is optimised for sustained regional deployments, maritime security operations, and coalition task group missions.

Over the past decade, the ships have undergone a series of capability upgrades to extend their service life and maintain relevance in increasingly contested Indo-Pacific operating environments.

HMAS Warramunga was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in March 2001, while HMAS Toowoomba entered service in October 2005.