List of warship classes of the Royal Australian Navy

This is a list of major classes of warship operated by the Royal Australian Navy. Included are capital ships, amphibious vessels, cruisers, destroyers and frigates.

Aircraft Carriers

Following the Second World War, the RAN began a policy of blue water operations built around an aircraft carrier. Two light fleet carriers were purchased from the Royal Navy, one of which, HMAS "Melbourne", was modified with all the latest enhancements in carrier design. "Melbourne" continued as the RAN's flagship until 1982, when it was planned to replace her with a STOVL carrier, again purchased from the Royal Navy. However, the sale of HMS "Invincible" was cancelled by the British Government after the Falklands War. Soon after, the Australian Government decided to end aircraft carrier operations.

Conventional Aircraft Carriers

*"Majestic" class
**HMAS "Sydney"
**HMAS "Melbourne"
*"Colossus" class
**HMAS "Vengeance"

eaplane Carrier

*HMAS "Albatross"

Capital Ships

When the RAN was first founded, it was decided that a capital ship would be constructed to serve as the fleet flagship. Initially conceived as a unit of the Royal Navy, the second "Indefatigable" class battlecruiser was paid for and crewed by Australians, and was thus commissioned as HMAS "Australia". "Australia" was the only true "capital ship" to serve in the RAN. [Aircraft carriers were not considered capital ships until after World War II—some definitions exclude light fleet carriers like those operated by the RAN]

Battlecruiser

*"Indefatigable" class
**HMAS "Australia"

Amphibious Assault Shipping

*Landing Ship Infantry
**HMAS "Kanimbla"
**HMAS "Manoora"
**HMAS "Westralia"
*Mark III Landing Ship Tank - six ships
*Landing Craft Heavy
**"Balikpapan" class- eight ships
*Heavy Landing Ship
**HMAS "Tobruk"
*High Speed Catamaran
**HMAS "Jervis Bay"
*"Kanimbla" class (1994)
**HMAS "Kanimbla"
**HMAS "Manoora"
*Canberra class - two ships planned

Cruisers

Heavy Cruisers

*Former British County class cruisers
** HMAS "Canberra"
** HMAS "Australia"
** HMAS "Shropshire" - lent to the RAN following the sinking of HMAS "Canberra" in 1942

Armoured Cruiser

*HMAS "Encounter"

Light Cruisers

*"Pelorus" class - two ships
*"Sydney" class (1910) - four ships
*"Sydney" class (1931) - three ships

Destroyers

*"River" class - six ships
*"S" class - five ships
*"Marksman" class - one ship
*"V" class - three ships
*"W" class - one ship
*"Scott" class - one ship
*"N" class - five ships
*"Q" class - five ships
*"Tribal" class - three ships
*"Anzac" class - two ships
*"Voyager" class - four ships
*"Perth" class - three ships
*"Hobart" class - three ships planned

Frigates

*"River" class (1941) - twelve ships
*"River" class (1957) - six ships
*"Adelaide" class - six ships
*"Anzac" class - eight ships

loops

*"Flower" class - three ships
*"Grimsby" class - four ships

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/australia/royal_australian_navy_main_page.htm MaritimeQuest Royal Australian Navy Index]
* [http://www.navy.gov.au/Current_Ships Current Ships - Royal Australian Navy]