HMAS Warramunga (FFH 152)
_departs_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_to_support_Rim_of_the_Pacific_(RIMPAC)_2010_exercises.jpg) HMAS Warramunga in 2010 |
|
| Career (Australia) |  |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | The Warumungu people |
| Builder: | Tenix Defence Systems |
| Laid down: | 26 July 1997 |
| Launched: | 23 May 1998 |
| Commissioned: | 31 March 2001 |
| Homeport: | Fleet Base West |
| Motto: | "Courage In Difficulties" |
| Honours and awards: |
Six inherited battle honours |
| Status: | Active as of 2012 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Anzac class frigate |
| Displacement: | 3,600 tonnes full load |
| Length: | 118 m (387 ft) |
| Beam: | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Draught: | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 1 x General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine providing 30,000 hp (22.5 mW) 2 x MTU 12v 1163 TB83 diesels providing 8,840 hp (6.5 mW) |
| Speed: | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement: | approximately 170 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Sonars: Thomson Sintra Spherion B Mod 5; hull-mounted; active search and attack; medium frequency. Provision for towed array Air search radar: Raytheon AN/SPS-49(V)8 ANZ (C/D-band) Surface search radar: CelsiusTech 9LV 453 TIR (Ericsson Tx/Rx) (G-band) Navigation: Atlas Elektronik 9600 ARPA (I-band) |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
ESM: Racal modified Sceptre A (radar intercept), Telefunken PST-1720 Telegon 10 (comms intercept) Countermeasures: Decoys: G & D Aircraft SRBOC Mk 36 Mod 1 decoy launchers for SRBOC |
| Armament: | Guns and missiles: 1 × 5 in/54 (127 mm) Mk 45 Mod 2 gun, various machine guns and small arms, 2 x 4 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Mk 41 Mod 5 VLS for Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow Torpedoes: 2 × triple 324 mm Mk 32 Mod 5 tubes Fire control: CelsiusTech 9LV 453 (J-band) Combat data systems: CelsiusTech 9LV 453 Mk 3.Link 11 Weapons control: CelsiusTech 9LV 453 optronic director with Raytheon CW Mk 73 Mod 1 |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 x SH-60 Seahawk |
HMAS Warramunga (FFH 152) is an Anzac class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Contents |
[edit] Design and construction
The Anzac class originated from RAN plans to replace the six River class destroyer escorts with a mid-capability patrol frigate.[1][2][3] Australian shipbuilding was thought to be incapable of warship design, so the RAN decided to take a proven foreign design and modify it.[1][3] Around the same time, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) was looking to replace four Leander class frigates; a deterioration in New Zealand-United States relations, the need to improve alliances with nearby nations, and the commonalities between the RAN and RNZN ships' requirements led the two nations to begin collaborating on the acquisition in 1987.[4][5] Tenders were requested by the Anzac Ship Project at the end of 1986, with 12 ship designs (including an airship) submitted.[1][6] By August 1987, the tenders were narrowed down in October to Blohm + Voss's MEKO 200 design, the M class (later Karel Doorman class) offered by Royal Schelde, and a scaled-down Type 23 frigate proposed by Yarrow Shipbuilders.[5][7] In 1989, the Australian government announced that Melbourne-based shipbuilder AMECON (which became Tenix Defense) would build the modified MEKO 200 design.[3][5][7] The Australians ordered eight ships, while New Zealand ordered two, with an unexercised option for two more.[8][9]
The Anzacs are based on Blohm + Voss' MEKO 200 PN (or Vasco da Gama class) frigates, modified to meet Australian and New Zealand specifications and maximise the use of locally built equipment.[10][3] Each frigate has a 3,600-tonne (3,500-long-ton; 4,000-short-ton) full load displacement.[11] The ships are 109 metres (358 ft) long at the waterline, and 118 metres (387 ft) long overall, with a beam of 14.8 metres (49 ft), and a full load draught of 4.35 metres (14.3 ft).[11] A Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion machinery layout is used, with a single, 30,172-horsepower (22,499 kW) General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbine and two 8,840-horsepower (6,590 kW) MTU 12V1163 TB83 diesel engines driving the ship's two controllable-pitch propellers.[11][3] Maximum speed is 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph), and maximum range is over 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph); about 50% greater than other MEKO 200 designs.[11][3][12] The standard ship's company of an Anzac consists of 22 officers and 141 sailors.[11]
As designed, the main armament for the frigate is a 5-inch 54 calibre Mark 45 gun, supplemented by an eight-cell Mark 41 vertical launch system (for RIM-7 Sea Sparrow or RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles), two 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns, and two Mark 32 triple torpedo tube sets (initially firing Mark 46 torpedoes, but later upgraded to use the MU90 Impact torpedo).[11][3][13] They were also designed for but not with a close-in weapons system (two Mini Typhoons fitted when required from 2005 onwards), two quad-canister Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers (which were installed across the RAN vessels from 2005 onwards), and a second Mark 41 launcher (which has not been added).[3][14][15] The Australian Anzacs use a Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter; plans to replace them with Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprites were cancleed in 2008 due to ongoing problems.[3][16][17]
Warramunga was laid down at Williamstown, Victoria on 26 July 1997.[8] The ship was assembled from six hull modules and six superstructure modules; the superstructure modules were fabricated in Whangarei, New Zealand, and hull modules were built at both Williamstown and Newcastle, New South Wales, with final integration at Williamstown.[3] She was launched on 23 May 1998, and commissioned into the RAN on 31 March 2001.[8] Had the New Zealand government exercised their option for two more frigates, Warramunga was one of the ships that would have been designated for the RNZN.[18]
[edit] Operational history
Warramunga was deployed to Christmas Island as part of Operation Relex II (from 2001 to 2005) in a border protection role, the Southern Ocean as part of Operation Celesta in a successful fisheries protection role (2004), and to Hawaii and the South West Pacific in 2003.[citation needed]
Warramunga was the first Australian warship to fire the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) in 2003.[citation needed]
On 31 July 2006, Warramunga departed Fleet Base West for her first deployment to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Catalyst, taking over duties from HMAS Ballarat.[19] While on station in the Gulf, Warramunga conducted 150 boardings and security patrols, 320 flying hours were logged by her embarked Seahawk helicopter, and 450 investigative queries of merchant vessels were made.[19] Warramunga returned to Fremantle on 2 February 2007 after 186 days at sea.[19]
On 29 May 2009, it was announced that Warramunga would be re-tasked with protecting civilian vessels from piracy in Somali waters.[20] The ship was assigned to Combined Task Force 151, which was tasked with preventing pirate attacks on commercial vessels in the shipping lanes off the Horn of Africa and Somalia.[20]
During July and August 2010, Warramunga was one of three RAN ships to participate in the RIMPAC 2010 multinational exercise.[21] During RIMPAC, the frigate participated in the sinking of the decommissioned amphibious assault ship USS New Orleans, firing several rounds from her main gun.[21]
[edit] Citations
- ^ a b c Jones, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 244
- ^ Fairall-Lee, Miller, & Murphy, in Forbes, Sea Power, p. 336
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Grazebrook, Anzac frigates sail diverging courses
- ^ Greener, Timing is everything, pp. 23–9
- ^ a b c Jones, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 245
- ^ Greener, Timing is everything, p. 30
- ^ a b Greener, Timing is everything, p. 31
- ^ a b c Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 20
- ^ Greener, Timing is everything, pp. 43–4
- ^ Wertheim, The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, pp. 20–1
- ^ a b c d e f Sharpe (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships 1998–99, pgs. 25, 470
- ^ Wertheim, The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, pp. 21
- ^ Fish & Grevatt, Australia's HMAS Toowoomba test fires MU90 torpedo
- ^ Scott, Updating ANZACs to meet changed strategic posture
- ^ Scott, Enhanced small-calibre systems offer shipborne stopping power
- ^ Grevatt, Australia cancels troubled Super Seasprite programme
- ^ Forbes, How a helicopter deal flew into trouble
- ^ Grazebrook & Lok, RAN sets course to crack the WIP for ANZAC frigates
- ^ a b c Department of Defence, HMAS Warramunga returns to Fremantle after six months in the Persian Gulf
- ^ a b McPhedran, Navy warship and RAAF spy planes join fight against Somali pirates
- ^ a b McPhedran, Aussie ships battle US Navy - and win, even if it is just an exercise
[edit] References
- Books
- Fairall-Lee, Sam; Miller, Kate, & Murphy, David (2007). "The Royal Australian Navy in 2030". In Andrew Forbes. Sea Power: Challenges Old and New. Ultimo, NSW: Halstead Press. ISBN 9781920831448.
- Greener, Peter (2009). Timing is everything: the politics and processes of New Zealand defence acquisition decision making. Canberra Papers on Strategy and Defence. No. 173. Canberra, ACT: ANU E Press. ISBN 9781921536656. http://epress.anu.edu.au/timing_citation.html. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- Jones, Peter (2001). "A Period of Change and Uncertainty". In Stevens, David. The Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195555422. OCLC 50418095.
- Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1998). Jane's Fighting Ships 1998–99 (101st ed.). Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 071061795X. OCLC 39372676.
- Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591149552. OCLC 140283156. http://books.google.com/books?id=TJunjRvplU4C.
- Journal articles
- Fish, Tim; Grevatt, Jon (24 June 2008). "Australia's HMAS Toowoomba test fires MU90 torpedo". Jane's Navy International (Jane's Information Group).
- Grazebrook, A.W. (1 November 1996). "Anzac frigates sail diverging courses". Jane's Navy International (Jane's Information Group) 101 (009).
- Grazebrook, A.W.; Lok, Joris Janssen (1 April 1997). "RAN sets course to crack the WIP for ANZAC frigates". Jane's Navy International (Jane's Information Group) 102 (003).
- Jon, Grevatt (5 March 2008). "Australia cancels troubled Super Seasprite programme". Jane's Defence Industry (Jane's Information Group).
- Scott, Richard (16 December 2005). "Updating ANZACs to meet changed strategic posture". Jane's Navy International (Jane's Information Group).
- Scott, Richard (12 December 2007). "Enhanced small-calibre systems offer shipborne stopping power". International Defence Review (Jane's Information Group).
- News articles
- Forbes, Mark (17 June 2002). "How a helicopter deal flew into trouble". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/16/1023864378971.html. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- McPhedran, Ian (29 May 2009). "Navy warship and RAAF spy planes join fight against Somali pirates". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25554700-421,00.html. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- McPhedran, Ian (20 July 2010). "Aussie ships battle US Navy - and win, even if it is just an exercise". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.news.com.au/national/aussie-ships-battle-us-navy-and-win-even-if-it-is-just-an-exercise/story-e6frfkvr-1225894329451. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- Press releases
- "HMAS Warramunga returns to Fremantle after six months in the Persian Gulf" (Press release). Department of Defence. 2 February 2007. http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6343. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: HMAS Warramunga (FFH 152) |
|
|||||||||||
