Adelaide-class frigate

The Adelaide class is a class of six multipurpose frigates of the Australian Navy ( RAN). The ships are based on the Oliver Hazard Perry frigates of the U.S. Navy. Four of the six 1977-1993, as successors of the destroyers of the Daring class ships built were built by Todd in Seattle in the U.S., while the last two units on the Australian Marine Engineering Consolidated ( AMEC ) shipyard were built. In the original version, the Australian units were virtually identical to the U.S. units. Two modernization, the Australian units differ greatly from today where the U.S. Navy.

Modernization

Hull extension

The Oliver Hazard Perry's were built in two versions: The first ships were built 133.5 m long while the later units with a length of 136 m in order to use a larger helicopter. While the U.S. Navy decided to phase out the smaller units in order to achieve a homogeneous fleet, the RAN to extend their three shorter units decided.

FFG program

Beginning of the 21st century, however, showed more and more that the Perrys were no longer meet the new challenges. Therefore, the U.S. Navy decided the obsolete Mk- 13 missile launcher for SM-1 and RGM -84 Harpoon to remove completely, but this means that the ships are virtually unarmed. But Australia with his little Navy could not afford to leave almost half of its surface fleet unarmed, so the FFG program were launched. As a modernization for all six ships was too expensive, it was decided to phase out the oldest two units and only to modernize the newer four. The program includes an extensive modernization of the electronics, a conversion of the Mk -13 starters from SM-1 to the much more modern SM-2 as well as the scaffolding of an eight -cell MK 41 VLS for 32 RIM -162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

List of vessels

The two under construction Docklandungsschiffe the Canberra class will receive the names of the first two ships decommissioned. Both are to be sunk as artificial reefs. The remaining four vessels will be replaced in the future by the planned three destroyers of the Hobart class.