Perth was farewelled from Fleet Base West on the 27th of April by a crowd of family and friends and is now heading east to complete the trials in the East Australian Exercise Area and conduct rangings on the US Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility off the coast of Hawaii.
Perth’s Commanding officer, CAPT Mal Wise said that his crew had worked hard to establish the new system in the previous months.
“Although there has been a lot of hard work to get us through the majority of our trial period, we know there is more to come with the system being further assessed off Hawaii, and then we get to put the whole system into practice during Talisman Sabre,” he said.
“Our families are sad to see us leave but they can tell that we are excited to be involved in this great new capability for Navy.”
The leading edge Phased Array Radar is housed in the cupola on the aft mast, which makes Perth the only Anzac Class frigate with such a distinctive mast structure.
Apart from the new mast structure of the ship Perth also sports an enclosed quarterdeck and an entirely revised layout of the Operations Room with an updated combat system.
With all upgrade trials due to be complete in June, Perth will be partnering with a number of Australian and US ships in the joint US-Australian exercise, Talisman Sabre 11 off the coast of Queensland in July.
AUS Navy