HMAS Toowoomba

HMAS Toowoomba Statistics

Commanding Officer	Commander Andrew Quinn
Pennant	FFH 156
Type	Surface Combatant
Classification	Frigate Helicopter (FFH)
Class	Anzac Class
Based	Perth
Laid down	26 July 2002
Launched	16 May 2003
Commissioned	08 October 2005
Displacement	3600 tonnes3,600,000 kg 3,600,000,000 g 7,936,639.2 lb 126,986,263.2 oz
Length	118 metres11,800 cm 0.118 km 0.0733 mi 387.139 ft 4,645.669 in
Beam	14.8 metres1,480 cm 0.0148 km 0.0092 mi 48.556 ft 582.677 in
Armament	1 x 5 inch (127mm) Mk45 Mod 2 Automatic fire gun Harpoon anti-ship missiles Mk41 vertical launch system with the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile 2 x Mk32 Mod 5 triple mounted torpedo tubes Mini-Typhoon close-range defence system 4 x 50 calibre (12.7mm) machine guns Nulka anti-ship missile defence system
Main Machinery	1 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engine 2 x MTU 12V 1163 diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers
Speed	more than 27 knots13.89 m/s 50.004 km/h 0.0139 km/s 2,734.253 ft/min 45.571 ft/s
Company	174

HMAS Toowoomba is the seventh of eight Anzac Class Frigates built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) by Tenix Defence Systems, Williamstown, Victoria.

Toowoomba is a long–range frigate capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction with an ability to counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface vessels and submarines.

Toowoomba is fitted with an advanced package of air and surface surveillance radars, omni-directional hull mounted sonar, a Mine Obstacle Avoidance Sonar and electronic support systems which interface with the state-of-the-art 9LV453 Mk3 combat data system.

The ship’s main armament comprises one 5-inch (127 mm) gun capable of firing 20 rounds per minute, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, ship launched torpedoes and a vertical launch system for the Evolved Sea Sparrow anti-air missile. Other ship’s defence systems include the Nulka active missile decoy system, off-board chaff and a torpedo countermeasures system.

A CODOG propulsion plant enables the ship to sustain speeds of greater than 27 knots and allows an operational range in excess of 6,000 nautical miles at 18 knots.

The ship can embark a multi-role Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter to enhance anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and Search and Rescue capabilities. Embarkation of a helicopter also provides the ship with the capability to deliver air-launched torpedoes.

HMAS Toowoomba is the second RAN ship to bear the name of Queensland’s inland city. HMAS Toowoomba (I) was one of 60 Bathurst Class Minesweeping Corvettes built in Australia during the Second World War as part of the Commonwealth Government’s wartime shipbuilding program.

Other HMAS Toowoomba News

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Listen to CMDR Ivan Ingham's interview (14:34mins) with Louise Maher of ABC 666, recorded in December 2009. This interview also features his son Harrison who had just graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy.