HMAS Sydney North American Deployment
22 November 2007
HMAS Sydney (CMDR Guy Holthouse, RAN) departed Fleet Base East (FBE) on the 17th of September to the strains of the unofficial United States National Anthem, Hawaii Five-O. The medley, played by Sydney's Band under the baton of POMUSN Kara Williams, was rounded out with 'Viva Las Vegas', 'California Girls', 'California Dreaming' and 'Hotel California'. The songs highlighted to those remaining in FBE that Sydney was indeed deploying on a-once-in-a-lifetime North American Pacific Deployment to Hawaii, Canada and mainland United States.
Before departing through The Heads, Sydney underwent an extensive work up pre-deployment. In May she successfully completed her first Unit Readiness Evaluation before becoming the first of the Adelaide Class Frigates to undergo an upgrade (FFGUP). This included having her Baseline Build 2 and Australian Distributed Architecture Combat System (ADACS) installed.
With the key component of ADACS Baseline Build 2 being the integration of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile into the FFGUP Combat Suite, Sydney ship's company were keen to see the frigate 'punch above her weight' against a realistic target in a sea trial.
Commander of the Australian Fleet RADM Nigel Coates, AM, RAN and Director Combined Joint Operation Centre RADM R.C Moffitt, AM, RAN were embarked by an 816 Squadron Seahawk (CMDR Simon Bateman, RAN) to witness the trial in the Eastern Australia Exercise Area (EAXA).
At 1011 on 20 August, 2007 LSET Newman reported '1 RADAR' with Sydney's AWO, LEUT Antony Pisani executing the RAN and world-first Engage Missile Order for an FFG, 8.5 seconds later, LS Newman reported 'intercept on 1, kill on 1' and history was made with the successful destruction of the Kalkara target. A second Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) was fired the following day, with the Upgraded combat and fire control systems performing flawlessly.
After another set of Electronic Systems trials off the EAXA, Sydney returned alongside briefly to effect deployment preparations, before clearing Sydney Heads at 1100 17 September and shaping course for Apia for fuel, before arrival in Pearl Harbor on the first leg of her deployment. While in the Hawaii Opareas, Sydney conducted further ESSM firings on the Pacific Missile Firing Range off the coast of Kauai. She will shortly proceed to Nanoose Bay, Canada for Underwater Systems and Torpedo Decoy System Testing.
The deployment will also see Sydney revisit her birth place in Seattle, Washington. Sydney will also visit Vancouver, Canada, making it the first RAN surface platform to visit Canada in 18 years. Additional ports of call include San Francisco and San Diego, and Esquimalt Victoria, British Columbia before Pearl Harbor on return to Australia.
