HMAS Warramunga (II)

Built by Tenix Defence Systems in Williamstown, Victoria, HMAS Warramunga (II) is the third of 8 Anzac Class frigates based on the German Meko 200 frigate. Anzac Class is a long-range frigate capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction.

Commissioned on 31 March 2001, HMAS Warramunga is the second ship to bear the same name in the Royal Australian Navy. HMAS Warramunga (I) was the second of 3 Australian-built Tribal Class destroyers. It served with distinction in the Second World War with the US 7th Fleet in the Pacific, the Korean campaign, the Malayan Insurgency and with the United Nations Forces in Korea.

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

The Anti-Ship Missile Defence upgrade program significantly improved combat capabilities, providing enhanced sensor and weapons systems capabilities. The upgrade included Phased Array Radar technology designed by CEA Technologies in Canberra, upgrades to combat systems performed by Saab Systems in South Australia, and platform integration design by BAE Systems in Victoria.

The ships are fitted with air and surface surveillance radars, omni-directional hull-mounted sonar, and electronic support systems that interface with the 9LV453 Mk3E combat data system. These systems can counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface vessels and submarines.

The ship's main armament comprises one Mark 45 capable of firing 20 rounds per minute, ship launched Mark 46 torpedoes and a Mark 41 vertical launch system for the Evolved Sea Sparrow missile. Anzac also has 8 anti-ship/land attack canister launched harpoon missiles. The ship's other defence systems include the Nulka active missile decoy system, offboard chaff and a torpedo countermeasures system.

The frigates feature a ‘combined diesel or gas’ (CODOG) propulsion plant which 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 frigates also allow Navy's multi-role MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to launch from the ship, providing enhanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and search and rescue capabilities. Embarkation of a helicopter also provides the ship with the capability to deliver air-launched missiles and torpedoes.

HMAS Warramunga is the third Anzac Class frigate to complete the Anzac Mid-Life Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) upgrade at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson, Western Australia. The AMCAP upgrade involved:

  • replacement of long range air search radar
  • identification, friend or foe (IFF)
  • secondary surveillance radar capabilities
  • improvements to platform reliability and maintainability
  • habitability for the crew
  • improvements to communications systems.

Specifications

  • Commanding Officer: Commander DW Philips CSM
  • Class: Anzac Class
  • Type: frigate, helicopter (FFH)
  • Role:
    • air defence
    • surface and undersea warfare
    • surveillance
    • reconnaissance
    • interdiction
  • Pennant: 152
  • International callsign: VKLD
  • Motto: Courage in Difficulties
  • Home port: Fleet Base East
  • Builder: Tenix Defence Systems, Williamstown
  • Laid down: 26 July 1997
  • Launched: 23 May 1998
  • Commissioned: 31 March 2001
  • Displacement: 3,600 tonnes
  • Length: 118 metres
  • Beam: 14.8 metres
  • Draught: 4.5 metres
  • Speed: 27 knots
  • Range: 6,000 nautical miles
  • Crew: 177
  • Machinery:
    • 1 General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engine
    • 2 MTU 12V 1163 diesels driving 2 controllable pitch propellers
  • Missiles:
  • Guns:
    • 5-inch Mark 45 Mod 2 automatic rapid fire gun
    • four 50-calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns
  • Torpedoes: 2 Mk32 Mod 5 triple mounted torpedo tubes
  • Physical countermeasures:
    • Loral Hycor SRBOC decoy launchers
    • BAE Nulka decoy launchers
    • SLQ-25C torpedo countermeasures
  • Electronic countermeasures:
    • JEDS 3701 electronic support measures
    • Telefunken PST-1720 comms intercept
  • Radars:
    • Raytheon SPS-49(V)8 ANZ
    • CEAFAR active phased array
    • Kelvin Hughes SharpEye
    • CEAMOUNT illuminators
    • Saab Systems Ceros 200
    • Cossor AIMS Mk XII IFF
  • Sonars:
    • Thomson Sintra Spherion
    • Thales UMS 5424 Petrel mine and obstacle avoidance sonar
  • Combat data systems: Saab Systems 9LV453 Mk3E
  • Electro-optic systems:
    • Saab Systems Ceros 200
    • Vampir NG infra-red search and track system
  • Helicopters: one MH-60R Seahawk
HMAS Warramunga (II) badge

Function

Helicopter frigate