 HMASParramatta in 2013 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Namesake | Parramatta River |
| Builder | Tenix Defence |
| Laid down | 5 June 1999 |
| Launched | 17 June 2000 |
| Commissioned | 4 October 2003 |
| Home port | Fleet Base East |
| Identification | MMSI number:503113000 |
| Motto | "Strike Deep" |
| Honours and awards | |
| Status | Active as of 2019 |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & 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 |
|
| 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 & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 1 ×Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk |
HMASParramatta (FFH 154) is anAnzac-class frigate of theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN). One of ten warships built for the RAN andRoyal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) based on theMEKO 200 design,Parramatta was laid down in 1999, launched in 2003, and commissioned into the RAN in 2003. During her career, the frigate has been deployed to the Middle East on several occasions. In early 2015,Parramatta was docked to undergo theAnti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade. She completed these upgrades in April 2016.
TheAnzac class originated from RAN plans to replace the sixRiver-class destroyer escorts with a mid-capability patrol frigate.[1][2][3] The Australian shipbuilding industry 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, theRoyal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) was looking to replace fourLeander-class frigates; a deterioration inNew 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 anairship) submitted.[1][6] By August 1987, the tenders were narrowed down in October toBlohm + Voss'sMEKO 200 design, the M class (laterKarel Doorman class) offered byRoyal Schelde, and a scaled-downType 23 frigate proposed byYarrow Shipbuilders.[5][7] In 1989, the Australian government announced that Melbourne-based shipbuilder AMECON (which becameTenix Defence) 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]
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TheAnzacs are based on Blohm + Voss' MEKO 200 PN (orVasco 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 thewaterline, and 118 metres (387 ft)long overall, with abeam of 14.8 metres (49 ft), and a full loaddraught of 4.35 metres (14.3 ft).[11] ACombined 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 twocontrollable-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 anAnzac consists of 22 officers and 141 sailors.[11]
As designed, the main armament for the frigate is a5-inch 54 calibre Mark 45 gun, supplemented by an eight-cellMark 41 vertical launch system (forRIM-7 Sea Sparrow orRIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles), two 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns, and twoMark 32 triple torpedo tube sets (initially firingMark 46 torpedoes, but later upgraded to use theMU90 Impact torpedo).[11][3][13] They were also designedfor but not with aMark 15 Phalanxclose-in weapons system (twoMini Typhoons fitted when required from 2005 onwards), two quad-canisterHarpoon anti-ship missile launchers (which were installed across the RAN vessels from 2005 onwards), and a second 8-cell Mark 41 VLS (which has not been added).[3][14][15] The AustralianAnzacs used a singleSikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter; plans to replace them withKaman SH-2G Super Seasprites were cancelled in 2008 due to ongoing problems.[3][16][17] Instead, the S-70B-2 was replaced with theSikorsky MH-60R Seahawk by late 2017.
Parramatta was laid down atWilliamstown, Victoria on 24 April 1999.[8] The ship was assembled from six hull modules and six superstructure modules; the superstructure modules were fabricated inWhangarei, New Zealand, and hull modules were built at both Williamstown andNewcastle, New South Wales, with final integration at Williamstown.[3] She was launched on 17 June 2000.[8]Parramatta was commissioned into the RAN on 4 October 2003.[8]
In 2005,Parramatta was sent forsix months service in thePersian Gulf as part ofOperation Catalyst, returning to Sydney on 13 April 2006.[18]Parramatta andHMAS Newcastle were the first RAN ships to be fitted with twoM2HB .50 calibre machine guns inMini Typhoon mounts; now a standard theatre fit for all RAN frigates deployed to the Persian Gulf.[15] During the deployment period, her crew carried out 186 vessel boardings and security patrols, and were involved in training other vessels in the Iraq Coalition.[18]Parramatta was awarded theMeritorious Unit Citation in 2007 for her efforts and conduct during this deployment.[19]
In December 2011, while deployed to the Middle East,Parramatta provided fuel and food to an Iraniandhow that was adrift off Yemen.[20]
In October 2013,Parramatta participated in theInternational Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.[21]
In November 2014,Parramatta and sister shipStuart were deployed to shadow a Russian naval force operating in international waters off Australia during the2014 G-20 Brisbane summit.[22] The Russian deployment was believed to be in response to troubled recentrelationships between the two nations.[22]
Parramatta was docked in March 2015 to undergo theAnti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade.[23] The upgrade will include the fitting ofCEA Technologies' CEAFAR and CEAMOUNTphased array radars on new masts, a Vampir NGInfrared Search and Track system, and Sharpeye Navigational Radar Systems, along with improvements to theoperations room equipment and layout.[24] The upgrade was completed in April 2016 and she rejoined the fleet in July.[25]
During late 2019 the frigate took part in efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea as part ofOperation Argos.[26]
 Royal Australian Navy | |
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 Royal New Zealand Navy | |
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