HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01)

HMAS "Adelaide" (FFG 01) was the lead ship of the "Adelaide" class of guided missile frigates, based on the United States Navy's "Oliver Hazard Perry" class frigates. She was built in the United States of America and commissioned into the RAN in 1980. In 2008, "Adelaide" was the second ship of the class to be decommissioned, in order to offset the cost of an upgrade of the other four ships, and is to be sunk as a dive wreck off the coast of NSW.

Construction

"Adelaide" was laid down by Todd Pacific Shipyards at Seattle, Washington on 29 July 1977, launched on 21 June 1978, and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 15 November 1980. During construction, she was referred to as FFG-17.

Operational history

In 1990, along with HMAS "Darwin", "Adelaide" deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Damask, Australia's participation in the international coalition against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. "Adelaide" effected the famous rescue of solo sailors Terri Dubois and Tony Bullimore in January 1997 and also saw service in East Timor in 1999, as a part of INTERFET.cite press release |title=WARSHIP TO BE SUNK OFF NEW SOUTH WALES CENTRAL COAST |author=Brendan Nelson, Australian Minister for Defence |date=2007-02-08 |url=http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/NelsonMintpl.cfm?CurrentId=6361 |format= |language= |accessdate=2007-02-09 |quote=]

"Adelaide" was the ship which intercepted SIEV 4 in the event which sparked the Children overboard affair in October 2001.

"Adelaide" later saw service again in the Middle East, during two tours of service. These were in support of Operation Slipper in 2001 and as part of Operation Catalyst in 2004.

On 22 July 2007, it was reported that a party of Australian navy personnel from HMAS "Adelaide" successfully repelled a 4-hour capture attempt from 5 Iranian gunboats near the Iraq-Iran maritime border during Operation Catalyst in December 2004. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/five-gunboats-repelled-adf/2007/06/22/1182019309654.html Aussies repelled five gunboats: ADF] - Sydney Morning Herald] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6228342.stm Iran 'unable to take Australians'] - BBC News]

Fate

"Adelaide" was originally scheduled to be paid off in November 2006, but delays with the "Adelaide" class upgrade project required that she be kept in service for another fourteen months, to minimise the impact on the fleet.cite news |first=Tim |last=Fish |title=Australia's Adelaide ends 27 years of service |work=Jane's Navy International |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2008-03-01] "Adelaide" was decommissioned on 19 January 2008 at Fleet Base West, before she was towed to Sydney and gifted to the New South Wales Government, which plans to sink her as a dive wreck off the coast near Terrigal. As of August 2008, the decommissioned frigate remains docked alongside HMAS "Kuttabul".

References

External links

* [http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/HMAS_Adelaide RAN webpage for HMAS Adelaide]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/australia/frigates/pages/hmas_adelaide_ffg_01.htm MaritimeQuest HMAS Adelaide FFG-01 Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.hmasadelaide.nsw.gov.au/ Official HMAS Adelaide Artificial Reef website]