Hobart set to enter builder’s trials

The future HMAS Hobart is set to enter builder’s trials this month off the coast of South Australia, the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance announced in September.

The vessel will be put through trials to demonstrate the functionality of the ship’s propulsion, manoeuvrability, auxiliary, control and navigation systems. The ship will be operated under the command of a civilian master and crew, augmented by specialists from the alliance and key equipment suppliers who will perform the system testing and trials.

Prior to trials beginning the alliance will conduct a comprehensive assessment to ensure the safety of the ship, embarked personnel, the environment and other seafarers. This assessment is defined as the Alliance Sea Trials Release Process and has three major steps; the Sea Worthiness Assessment, Ship Sea Trials Release and Sea Readiness Confirmation.

In the lead up to Builder Sea Trials the AWD Alliance continues to complete a number of important alongside dock trials to test ships systems before it departs to sea for the first time.  Tests include inclining trials to measure the ship’s stability and vertical centre of gravity, and bollard trials to test the ship’s propulsion system.

Following Builder’s Sea Trials, in early 2017 Hobart will undertake further trials to test and demonstrate the ship’s more advanced systems and the combat system performance.

Hobart is the first of three new Hobart-class air warfare destroyers being built for the Royal Australian Navy.