This week Air Warfare Destroyer and future DDG39 NUSHIP Hobart has commenced her builders sea trials.
According to the AWD Alliance, this phase will demonstrate the functionality of the ship’s propulsion, maneuvering, auxiliary, control and navigation systems.
Following the trials, in early 2017 Hobart will undertake further trials to test and demonstrate the ship’s more advanced systems and the combat system performance.
The trials are being conducted off the SA coast and throughout 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.
Before the ship went to sea, the Alliance conducted a comprehensive assessment to ensure the safety of the ship, embarked personnel, the environment and other seafarers. Defined as the Alliance Sea Trials Release Process, there were three major steps: the Sea Worthiness Assessment; the Ship Sea Trials Release; and the Sea Readiness Confirmation.
While the ship is at sea, a dedicated shore support team will remain in constant communications with the Ship’s Master to assist the ship and ensure the success of the trials.
In the lead up the Alliance completed a number of important alongside dock trials which included inclining trials, measuring the ship’s stability and vertical centre of gravity, and bollard trials, testing the ship’s propulsion system.