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| HMAS Canberra departs Sydney on Sea Trials |
By Robert Farley
Australia has some impressive naval hardware. How will it put these ships to work?
Having acquired HMAS Canberra and her sister HMAS Adelaide, Australia is now figuring out the best way to use them.
As readers of The Diplomat know, Australia has taken major steps in the past five years to build a world class amphibious warfare capability. In 2011 the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) took possession of HMAS Choules, a formerly British landing ship. Late last year, the RAN commissioned the flat-decked amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra, largest ship ever to serve Australia. Later this year Canberra’s sister, HMAS Adelaide, will enter service.
Lost in the various debates about whether Canberra and her sister will eventually carry the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter are the significant capabilities that the ships currently command, and how Australia can put those capabilities to greatest effect. When these ships reach final operational capability (expected in 2017) they will represent the most impressive amphibious warships in the Asia-Pacific, apart from the big amphibs of the United States Navy. The Royal Australian Navy has long played an active role in maritime management, and these two ships will grant the fleet its most effective vessels to date.
Read the full story at The Diplomat