The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Canberra arrived in Sydney on Tuesday morning where on Saturday it will become the first-ever US Navy ship to be ceremonially commissioned in an allied country.
Preceded down Sydney Harbour by its much larger namesake HMAS Canberra, accompanied by RAN and other helicopters and greeted by the RAN Band, the 130-metre, 2,271-ton LCS berthed at Fleet Base East where it will stay for at least a week before beginning the 7,500-mile transit back to its home port of San Diego.
Once there the ship will be configured for surface warfare and mine countermeasures.
Laid down in 2020, christened in 2021 and homeported in 2022, the vessel is the 16th Independence-class LCS built for the USN In Mobile, Alabama by Australian shipbuilder Austal. A 17th ship has yet to be commissioned and two more of the class are on order.
Among spectators at Fleet Base East was Austal CEO Paddy Gregg, who was hoping the current analysis of the RAN’s surface combat fleet will be completed in September as scheduled.
“We’ve delivered 25 ships over the last five years and we’re running out of work,” Gregg told ADM.
“I don’t think an evolution of the Independence-class is what they want at the moment,” he said.
“We’ve talked to Navy and Defence regarding corvettes and frigates; existing designs that other people have, Australian designs if they want to go down that route; existing designs and putting Australian weapons, combat systems and radar systems on board those ships.
“They’re working through what they want and we’re happy to support them while they do that, and then put in the best possible tenders.”