HMAS Warramunga

HMAS Warramunga Statistics

Commanding Officer	Commander Michael Turner
Pennant	FFH 152
Type	Surface Combatant
Classification	Frigate Helicopter (FFH)
Class	Anzac Class
Based	Perth
Laid down	26 July 1997
Launched	23 May 1998
Commissioned	31 March 2001
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 Mk41 vertical launch system with the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile 2 x Mk32 Mod 5 triple mounted torpedo tubes 4 x 50 calibre (12.7mm) machine guns 8 x Canister Launched Harpoon Missiles
Main Machinery	1 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engine 2 x MTU 12V 1163 diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers
Speed	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 Warramunga is the second Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship to bear the name and is the third ANZAC Class Frigate Helicopter (FFH) to be built for the RAN by Tenix Defence Systems in Williamstown, Australia.

Warramunga is a long-range frigate capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. Warramunga is fitted with an advanced package of air and surface surveillance radars; omni-directional hull mounted sonar and electronic support systems that interface with the state-of-the-art 9LV453 Mk3 combat data system. The ship can counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface vessels and submarines.

The ship's main armament comprises one five inch (127 mm) gun capable of firing 20 rounds per minute, ship launched Mk 46 torpedoes and a Mk 41 vertical launch system for the Evolved Sea Sparrow point defence missile. Warramunga also has eight anti-ship/land attach canister launched harpoon missiles and a vertical launch system for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. The ship's other defence systems include the Nulka active missile decoy system, offboard chaff and a torpedo countermeasures system.

HMAS Warramunga, like her sister frigates HMA Ships Anzac, Arunta, Stuart, Parramatta, Ballarat and Toowoomba feature a "combined diesel or gas" (CODOG) propulsion plant enables the ship to sustain sprint 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 Warramunga (I) was the second of three Australian built Tribal class destroyers. She served with distinction in WW II with the US 7th Fleet in the Pacific, the Korean campaign, the Malayan Insurgency and with the United Nations Forces in Korea . The following battle honours have been awarded to Warramunga (I) : Pacific 1943-1945, New Guinea 1943-1944, Leyte Gulf 1944 ( Philippines ), Lingayen Gulf 1945 ( Philippines ) and Korea 1950-1952

The Warramunga name is derived from the Warramunga (also spelt Warumungu) Aboriginal people from the Tennant Creek area and the ship's badge depicts a fearsome Warumungu tribesman about to throw a boomerang. The blue and yellow background represents the sky and a desert hillside.

The motto "Courage in Difficulties" honours the Warumungu tribe's life of courage in their harsh environment as well as the Second World War Tribal Class Destroyer, HMAS Warramunga (I).