Australia’s 1st Hobart-Class Air Warfare Destroyer Completes Initial At-Sea Tests

A partnership between Australia’s defense department, shipbuilding company ASC and Raytheon‘s Australian subsidiary has completed phase one trials for the first of the country’s three Hobart-class destroyers, The Lead South Australia reported Monday.

Caleb Radford writes the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance performed the HMAS Hobart  builder’s sea trials off the coast of South Australia to evaluate the ship’s hull, propulsion and navigation systems.

AWD Alliance General Manager Lloyd Beckett said Hobart’s combat and communication systems will be tested during the second phase of trials in 2017, Radford reports.

The report said the alliance is scheduled to deliver Hobart to the Australian defense department in June next year after the completion of sea trials.

Hobart-class destroyers are designed to feature weapons, detection and electronic warfare systems such as the Aegis combat system, SPQ horizon search radar, Mk 41 vertical launch system and Mk 45 5” 62 calibre gun.