 HMASAdelaide docked at Port Adelaide for an open day in 2007 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Namesake | City of Adelaide |
| Builder | Todd Pacific Shipyards,Seattle |
| Laid down | 29 July 1977 |
| Launched | 21 June 1978 |
| Commissioned | 15 November 1980 |
| Decommissioned | 19 January 2008 |
| Motto | "United For The Common Good" |
| Nickname(s) | FFG-17 (US hull designation during construction) |
| Honours & awards |
|
| Fate | Sunk asdive wreck |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Adelaide-classguided missile frigate |
| Displacement | 4,100 tons |
| Length | 138.1 m (453.1 ft)overall |
| Beam | 13.7 m (44.9 ft) |
| Draught | 7.5 m (24.6 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) |
| Range | 4,500 nmi (8,334 km; 5,179 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 184 (including 15 officers, not including aircrew) |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 ×S-70B Seahawk or 1 × Seahawk and 1 ×AS350B Squirrel |
HMASAdelaide (FFG 01) was thelead ship of theAdelaide class ofguided missile frigates built for theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN), based on theUnited States Navy'sOliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. She was built in the United States andcommissioned into the RAN in 1980.
During her career,Adelaide was part of Australian responses or contributions to the1987 Fijian coups d'état, theIraq invasion of Kuwait, theIndonesian riots of May 1998, theINTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, theWar in Afghanistan, and theUnited States-led invasion of Iraq. In 1997, the frigate rescued two competitors in the1996–97 Vendée Globe solo, round-the-world yacht race. In 2001, a boat carrying suspected illegal immigrants was intercepted byAdelaide; the events of this interception became the centre of theChildren overboard affair.
In 2008,Adelaide was the second ship of the class to bedecommissioned, in order to offset the cost of an upgrade to the other four vessels. This ship was to be sunk offAvoca Beach, New South Wales as adive wreck on 27 March 2010, until an appeal to theAdministrative Appeals Tribunal by protest groups led to a postponement of the scuttling until additional cleanup work was completed. Despite further attempts to delay or cancel thescuttling,Adelaide was sunk off Avoca on 13 April 2011.
Following the cancellation of theAustralian light destroyer project in 1973, the BritishType 42 destroyer and the AmericanOliver Hazard Perry-classfrigate were identified as alternatives to replace the cancelled light destroyers and theDaring-classdestroyers.[1] Although theOliver Hazard Perry class was still at the design stage, the difficulty of fitting the Type 42 with theSM-1 missile, and the success of thePerth-class acquisition (a derivative of the AmericanCharles F. Adams-class destroyer) compared to equivalent British designs led the Australian government to approve the purchase of two US-builtOliver Hazard Perry-class frigates (includingAdelaide) in 1976.[1][2] A third was ordered in 1977, followed by a fourth, with all four ships integrated into the USN's shipbuilding program.[3][4][5] A further two ships were ordered in 1980, and were constructed in Australia.[4][5]
As designed, the ship had afull load displacement of 3,605 tons, alength overall of 135.6 metres (444.9 ft), abeam of 13.7 metres (44.9 ft), and adraught of 24.5 metres (80.4 ft).[6][7] Early in the ship's career, she was modified from theOliver Hazard Perry Flight I design to Flight III, requiring a lengthening of the helicopter deck for theRAST helicopter recovery system, increasing the displacement to 4,100 tons and pushing the overall length to 138.1 metres (453.1 ft).[7] Propulsion machinery consisted of twoGeneral Electric LM2500 gas turbines, which provided a combined 41,000horsepower (31,000 kW) to the singlepropeller shaft.[7] Top speed was 29knots (54 km/h; 33 mph), with a range of 4,500nautical miles (8,334 km; 5,179 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[7] Two 650-horsepower (480 kW) electric auxiliary propulsors were used for close manoeuvring, with a top speed of 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).[7] The standardship's company was 184, including 15 officers, but excluding the flight crew for the embarked helicopters.[7]
The original armament for the ship consisted of aMark 13 missile launcher configured to fireRIM-66 Standard andRGM-84 Harpoon missiles, supplemented by anOTO Melara 76-millimetre (3 in) gun and aVulcan Phalanx point-defence system.[6][7] For anti-submarine warfare, twoMark 32 torpedo tube sets were fitted; originally firing theMark 44 torpedo, theAdelaides later carried theMark 46 torpedoes.[7] Up to six 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns were carried for close-in defence, and beginning in 2005, twoM2HB .50 calibre machine guns inMini Typhoon mounts were installed when needed for Persian Gulf deployments.[7][8] The sensor suite included anAN/SPS-49 air searchradar,AN/SPS-55 surface search and navigation radar,SPG-60 fire control radar connected to aMark 92 fire control system, and anAN/SQS-56 hull-mountedsonar.[7] Two helicopters could be embarked: either twoS-70B Seahawk or one Seahawk and oneAS350B Squirrel.[7]
Adelaide waslaid down to theOliver Hazard Perry class' Flight I design atTodd Pacific Shipyards atSeattle on 29 July 1977,launched on 21 June 1978 by Lady Ann Synnot (wife of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral SirAnthony Synnot), andcommissioned into theRoyal Australian Navy on 15 November 1980.[5][9] During construction, she was identified with the United States Navyhull number FFG-17.[5] A total of fourAdelaide-class ships were constructed by Todd Pacific, with a further two built by Australian shipbuilderAMECON.[1]
After commissioning,Adelaide andCanberra remained in the United States to work up; during this time both ships were attached to the United States Navy'sDestroyer Squadron 9.[10] The frigate ran aground off Seattle in early 1981, during post-commissioning trials, but was freed with only minor damage.[11]
Following the decommissioning of theaircraft carrierHMAS Melbourne in 1982 and the disbandment of fixed-wing aviation squadrons in 1984, the RANFleet Air Arm became focused on helicopter operations, but had minimal experience flying helicopters from small ships.[12] To remedy this, aBell Kiowa was embarked aboardAdelaide during 1984.[12]Adelaide was awarded theGloucester Cup for being the most efficient ship in the RAN during 1984.[9][13]
In May 1987,Adelaide visitedFiji, and was alongside inLautoka when the first of the1987 Fijian coups d'état occurred on 14 May.[14]Adelaide and sister shipSydney, alongside in Suva, were instructed to remain off Fiji to aid in any necessary evacuation of Australian citizens; the first component of what becameOperation Morris Dance.[14]Adelaide remained on station until at least 29 May, when a phased withdrawal began.[14]
On 3 July 1990,Adelaide became the first Australian warship to visitTahiti since 1970.[15] On 10 August,Adelaide,sister shipDarwin, and the replenishment shipSuccess were deployed to the Middle East as part ofOperation Damask, Australia's participation in the international coalition enforcingsanctions against Iraq following that nation'sinvasion of Kuwait.[16]Adelaide andDarwin remained in the area until 3 December, and was used for surveillance and boarding operations.[15][17] In October 1992,Adelaide's home port was changed toHMAS Stirling, making her the first ship of the class homeported in Western Australia under theTwo-Ocean Policy.[18]
In January 1997, theyachts of Thierry Dubois andTony Bullimore (competitors in the1996–97 Vendée Globe solo, round-the-world yacht race), capsized while attempting to cross the Southern Ocean.[19]Adelaide successfully found and rescued the sailors after seven days of searching by ships and aircraft.[19] During late May and early June, the frigate was deployed to thePhilippines, and represented Australia at the Philippines Centenary International Naval Review.[20]
Between 17 and 27 May 1998,Adelaide was one of four RAN ships placed on standby, in case Australian citizens required evacuation if theIndonesian riots of May 1998 escalated.[21] The ships were not used. Starting in September, the frigate accompanied the destroyersHobart andBrisbane on a cruise through South East Asia.[22] During this deployment, the ships were present at anaval review by Indonesian presidentB. J. Habibie.[22]
In February 1999,Adelaide was awarded the Duke of Gloucester Cup awarded to the most efficient ship in the RAN during the previous year.[23] The frigate was deployed toEast Timor as part of the Australian-ledINTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 19 September to 19 October.[24]
On 6 October 2001,Adelaide was the ship which interceptedSIEV 4, the event which sparked theChildren overboard affair.[25] Under orders to prevent SIEVs from entering Australian waters,Adelaide attempted to warn the craft, carrying over 200 passengers (including children), against crossing from international waters during the night and into 7 October. When the SIEV failed to heed these warnings,Adelaide fired warning shots and initiated aRHIB boarding action, with the boarding party took control of the craft that afternoon.[25] Between this time and when the craft was manoeuvred from Australian territory late the next morning, several attempts were made to sabotage the craft, and some adult passengers jumped or were thrown overboard while others threatened to do so; the fourteen people that entered the water were recovered by the frigate's RHIB and taken back to the SIEV.[25]Adelaide observed the craft as it headed towards Indonesia, and moved in to provide further assistance a few hours later, after systematic sabotage immobilised the small vessel.[25]Adelaide was instructed to take the vessel in tow and head forChristmas Island.[25] The SIEV began to take on water during the afternoon of 8 October, and despite the appearance that the problem had been rectified, the craft sank without warning at 17:00.[25] All aboard were forced into the water, and were rescued by personnel fromAdelaide.[25] Reports of the sinking were conflated with information about those who jumped or were thrown overboard the day previous to give the impression that the threat of throwing children overboard had been made or carried out, a story that was later proven false but taken up at the time by theHoward government during the lead-up to the2001 election to support their campaign promises to tighten border controls and immigration.[25][26]
From November 2001 to March 2002,Adelaide and the amphibious warfare shipKanimbla were deployed to the Middle East as part ofOperation Slipper, the Australian contribution to theWar in Afghanistan.[27] The ships also contributed to the continuing enforcement of the Iraq sanctions.[27]Adelaide was deployed on border protection operations on multiple occasions until 2004.[18]
Adelaide returned to the Middle East from July 2004 to January 2005 as part ofOperation Catalyst, the Australian contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq following theUnited States-led invasion in 2003.[28] During this deployment, in December 2004, several gunboats of theIranian Revolutionary Guard attempted to capture a boarding party after it had inspected the freighter MVSham, which had grounded near the Iraq-Iran maritime boundary.[29][30] After completing their inspection, the boarding party returned to their two RHIBs, but were approached by an Iranian gunboat.[29][30] The boarding party climbed back aboardSham, took up defensive positions, and, according to BBC reporter Frank Gardner, "warned [the Iranians] to back off, using what was said to be 'highly colourful language'."[29][30] During the next 45 minutes, four more gunboats arrived, and the stand-off lasted for four hours before the Australians were evacuated byAdelaide's Seahawk helicopter.[30] No shots were fired during the incident, and two of the Australians were later awarded theDistinguished Service Medal for their conduct during the stand-off.[30] TheAustralian Defence Force did not immediately report the incident to the media, as they felt no need to highlight it, and the attempted capture did not come to light until July 2007, when Gardner wrote about it following thecapture of 15 British personnel during a similar incident in March 2007.[29][30]
A March 2010 reorganisation ofbattle honours awarded to RAN ships sawAdelaide retroactively honoured for her service with INTERFET ("East Timor 1999") and during the War in Afghanistan ("Persian Gulf 2001–02").[31][32]
Adelaide was originally scheduled to be paid off in November 2006, but delays with the project toupgrade four ofAdelaide's sister ships required that she be kept in service for another fourteen months to minimise the impact on the fleet.[33]Adelaide wasdecommissioned on 19 January 2008 atHMAS Stirling, before she was towed to Sydney and given to theGovernment of New South Wales, which planned to sink her as adive wreck off the coast nearTerrigal: the first military ship dive wreck in New South Wales.[33][34] After spending time alongside atHMAS Kuttabul,Adelaide was towed toWhite Bay at a point prior to November 2009.[35]
The ship was prepared for scuttling byMcMahon Services during late 2009 and early 2010: her mast (which would have become a navigational hazard once the ship was scuttled) was removed, dangerous materials and toxins were removed, and access holes were cut in the ship's flanks.[36][35][37] The ship was scheduled to be sunk on 27 March, 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) offshore fromAvoca Beach, in 32 metres (105 ft) of water.[37] Localresident action groups campaigned to prevent the scuttling, claiming that the wreck would affect tides andlittoral sand drift, and that the removal of chemicals and hazardous materials in the ship had not been thorough enough, with the chance that marine life and people could be poisoned.[37][38]
An appeal by the protest groups to theAdministrative Appeals Tribunal three days before the sinking saw the project placed on hold until the case could be heard in full: supporters and opponents of the dive wreck agreed to participate inmediation in the meantime.[39][40] The case was to be heard on 5 May, but was later postponed to July.[41][42] On 15 September, the Tribunal ruled that scuttling of the ship could go ahead after the removal of any remaining wiring, which may containpolychlorinated biphenyls, canvas, insulation, and exfoliating red lead paint.[43][44] The delays caused by the tribunal hearing meant that the original $5.8 million assigned to the scuttling project was expended, and the tribunal hearing, additional cleanup, and berthing fees brought the cost of the scuttling project to $8.5 million.[43]
A new scuttling date was announced on 24 February 2011 by NSW Lands MinisterTony Kelly, withAdelaide scheduled to be sunk on 13 April 2011, after the additional cleaning ordered by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal was completed in March.[45]Adelaide was towed from Sydney Harbour on the morning of 11 April for the voyage north.[46] The action group attempted to cancel or further delay the sinking of the warship, requesting that the New South WalesOmbudsman investigate the government's handling of the artificial reef project, filing a summons in theLand and Environment Court of New South Wales on the afternoon of 12 April, and asking an Aboriginal 'whale caller' to summonhumpback whales to the planned wreck site.[47][48] Despite this, the sinking went ahead just before midday on 13 April, after being delayed by over an hour by a pod of dolphins inside the 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) exclusion zone.[48] After the scuttling charges were fired,Adelaide submerged within two minutes.[11]
As an artificial reef, the aluminum superstructure of the ship has sufferedgalvanic corrosion. With the superstructure weakened, a storm and heavy seas in 2024 removed the superstructure from the vessel and deposited it on the seabed on the port side of the vessel.[49] Most reef life was also swept away from the vessel by the storm.[50]
Books
Journal articles
News articles
Other sources
Media related toHMAS Adelaide (FFG 01) at Wikimedia Commons
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33°28′0″S151°27′0″E / 33.46667°S 151.45000°E /-33.46667; 151.45000
