HMAS Melbourne

HMAS Melbourne Statistics

Commanding Officer	Commander Allison Norris
Pennant	FFG 05
Class	Adelaide Class
Based	Sydney
Launched	5 May 1989
Commissioned	15 February 1992
Displacement	4100 tonnes4,100,000 kg 4.1e+9 g 9,038,950.2 lb 144,623,244.2 oz
Length	138.1 metres13,810 cm 0.138 km 0.0858 mi 453.084 ft 5,437.008 in
Beam	14.3 metres1,430 cm 0.0143 km 0.00889 mi 46.916 ft 562.992 in
Armament	76mm rapid fire gun. Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Standard surface to air missiles. Mk 92 Fire Control System Vulcan Phalanx close in weapons system. Two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes for Mk 32 torpedoes.
Aircraft	Up to two Seahawk helicopters
Main Machinery	Two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines driving a single controllable pitch propeller
Speed	30 knots15.433 m/s 55.56 km/h 0.0154 km/s 3,038.059 ft/min 50.634 ft/s
Company	221

HMAS Melbourne is one of the Royal Australian Navy's four guided missile frigates. The ship is a long-range escort capable of area air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. The ship can counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface vessels and submarines.

Melbourne and her five sister ships were the first RAN ships to be powered by gas turbines. This, combined with a modern repair by replacement policy, has allowed both a reduced complement and a high availability for sea duty. In addition, two forward mounted retractable auxiliary propulsion units provide a secondary means of propulsion plus excellent manoeuvrability in confined waters.

The ship is also equipped with a sophisticated computer-based command and control system and a comprehensive sensor package including the Mulloka medium range sonar for submarine detection.

Melbourne is the lead ship for the Nulka Active Missile Decoy System, designed and manufactured in Australia in collaboration with the United States . Aboriginal for 'Be Quick', Nulka is an expendable decoy which uses a unique hovering rocket to protect RAN ships against advanced anti-ship missiles.

Melbourne deployed to the Arabian Gulf during 2002 as part of the Multinational Interception Force (MIF) enforcing United Nation's sanctions against Iraq .

The name Melbourne has been carried by two former RAN warships: a light cruiser 1913-1928, and an aircraft carrier 1955-1982. The ship's motto, 'VIRES ACQUIRIT EUNDO', translates as 'She Gathers Strength As She Goes'.