HMAS Stuart enters ASMD upgrade
The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Stuart Anzac-class frigate has entered the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade, with the vessel now docked at the BAE Systems Australia Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
As part of the upgrade, the ship's two mast modules will be removed, modified and replaced, the ship will be blasted back and repainted, and an upgraded Saab Systems Mk3E system will be installed. Fibre optic cables will be installed extensively across the vessel for the CEA phased array radar and other sensors to communicate with the new combat system.
The frigate will return to sea after the upgrade in early March 2017. It is expected to undergo sea and harbour trials in October 2017, after which it will return to service.
HMAS Stuart is the final ship of class to enter the upgrade programme.
Lt Cdr Felicity Petrie, upgrade program delivery manager, Royal Australian Navy, said: ‘This represents the completion of a significant body of work by a number of navy personnel and civilian contractors across the Anzac fleet. Stuart’s upgrade will signal the end of the ‘classic’ configuration and herald a new era in navy capability.
‘The operations room will be completely overhauled, bringing the entire Anzac fleet up to current standards for ergonomics and information display.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice]()
Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice
If the foreign military sale request is approved, Germany would be the first country outside the US to acquire the technology, which is currently used extensively by the US Navy.
-
![Beyond GPS: How LEO satellites are changing the game in naval navigation]()
Beyond GPS: How LEO satellites are changing the game in naval navigation
Satellite navigation is increasingly critical for global maritime defence, and Low Earth Orbit satellites are rapidly overtaking the traditional and more widely used Medium Earth Orbit option as they are less susceptible to jamming or spoofing.
-
![US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials]()
US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials
The initial sea trials for Virginia-class SSN 798 conducted by Newport News Shipbuilding division and the US Navy marked an “important step”, but the ongoing AUKUS review casts a shadow over what the progress means for the partner nations.
