HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154)#Design and construction
{{Short description|Anzac-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy}}
{{other ships|HMAS Parramatta}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:RAN-IFR 2013 D2 115.JPG | Ship caption = HMAS Parramatta in 2013 }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country = Australia | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Australia|naval}} | Ship namesake = Parramatta River | Ship builder = Tenix Defence | Ship laid down = 5 June 1999 | Ship launched = 17 June 2000 | Ship commissioned = 4 October 2003 | Ship recommissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship homeport = Fleet Base East | Ship identification = *{{MMSI Number|503113000}} | Ship motto = "Strike Deep" | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = *Meritorious Unit Citation | Ship status = Active as of 2019 | Ship notes = | Ship badge = Ship's badge }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Ship class = Anzac-class frigate | Ship displacement = 3,600 tonnes full load | Ship length = {{convert|118|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship draught = {{convert|4|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = *1 × General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine providing 30,000 hp (22.5 MW)
| Ship speed = {{convert|27|kn}} | Ship range = {{convert|6000|nmi}} at {{convert|18|kn}} | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = | Ship complement = approximately 170 sailors | Ship sensors = *Sonars: Thomson Sintra Spherion B Mod 5; hull-mounted; active search and attack; medium frequency. Provision for towed array
| Ship EW = *ESM: Racal modified Sceptre A (radar intercept), Telefunken PST-1720 Telegon 10 (comms intercept)
| Ship armament = *Guns and missiles: 1 × 5 in/54 (127 mm) Mk 45 Mod 2 gun, various machine guns and small arms, 2 × 4 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Mk 41 Mod 5 VLS for Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow
| Ship aircraft = 1 × Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk | Ship notes = }} |
HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154) is an Anzac-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One of ten warships built for the RAN and Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) based on the MEKO 200 design, Parramatta was laid down in 1999, launched in 2003, and commissioned into the RAN in 2003. During her career, the frigate has been deployed to the Middle East on several occasions. In early 2015, Parramatta was docked to undergo the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade. She completed these upgrades in April 2016.
Design and construction
{{main|Anzac-class frigate}}
The Anzac class originated from RAN plans to replace the six River-class destroyer escorts with a mid-capability patrol frigate.Jones, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 244Fairall-Lee, Miller, & Murphy, in Forbes, Sea Power, p. 336 The Australian shipbuilding industry was thought to be incapable of warship design, so the RAN decided to take a proven foreign design and modify it. Around the same time, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) was looking to replace four Leander-class frigates; a deterioration in New Zealand-United States relations, the need to improve alliances with nearby nations, and the commonalities between the RAN and RNZN ships' requirements led the two nations to begin collaborating on the acquisition in 1987.Greener, Timing is everything, pp. 23–9Jones, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 245 Tenders were requested by the Anzac Ship Project at the end of 1986, with 12 ship designs (including an airship) submitted.Greener, Timing is everything, p. 30 By August 1987, the tenders were narrowed down in October to Blohm + Voss's MEKO 200 design, the M class (later Karel Doorman class) offered by Royal Schelde, and a scaled-down Type 23 frigate proposed by Yarrow Shipbuilders.Greener, Timing is everything, p. 31 In 1989, the Australian government announced that Melbourne-based shipbuilder AMECON (which became Tenix Defence) would build the modified MEKO 200 design.Grazebrook, Anzac frigates sail diverging courses The Australians ordered eight ships, while New Zealand ordered two, with an unexercised option for two more.Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 20Greener, Timing is everything, pp. 43–4
File:HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154) (4).jpg]]
The Anzacs are based on Blohm + Voss' MEKO 200 PN (or Vasco da Gama-class) frigates, modified to meet Australian and New Zealand specifications and maximise the use of locally built equipment.Wertheim, The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, pp. 20–1 Each frigate has a {{convert|3,600|t|adj=on}} full load displacement.Sharpe (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships 1998–99, pgs. 25, 470 The ships are {{convert|109|m}} long at the waterline, and {{convert|118|m}} long overall, with a beam of {{convert|14.8|m}}, and a full load draught of {{convert|4.35|m}}. A Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion machinery layout is used, with a single, {{convert|30172|hp|adj=on}} General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbine and two {{convert|8,840|hp|adj=on}} MTU 12V1163 TB83 diesel engines driving the ship's two controllable-pitch propellers. Maximum speed is {{convert|27|kn}}, and maximum range is over {{convert|6,000|nmi}} at {{convert|18|kn}}; about 50% greater than other MEKO 200 designs.Wertheim, The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, pp. 21 The standard ship's company of an Anzac consists of 22 officers and 141 sailors.
As designed, the main armament for the frigate is a 5-inch 54 calibre Mark 45 gun, supplemented by an eight-cell Mark 41 vertical launch system (for RIM-7 Sea Sparrow or RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles), two {{convert|12.7|mm|adj=on}} machine guns, and two Mark 32 triple torpedo tube sets (initially firing Mark 46 torpedoes, but later upgraded to use the MU90 Impact torpedo).Fish & Grevatt, Australia's HMAS Toowoomba test fires MU90 torpedo They were also designed for but not with a close-in weapons system (two Mini Typhoons fitted when required from 2005 onwards), two quad-canister Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers (which were installed across the RAN vessels from 2005 onwards), and a second Mark 41 launcher (which has not been added).Scott, Updating ANZACs to meet changed strategic postureScott, Enhanced small-calibre systems offer shipborne stopping power The Australian Anzacs use a Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter; plans to replace them with Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprites were cancelled in 2008 due to ongoing problems.Grevatt, Australia cancels troubled Super Seasprite programmeForbes, How a helicopter deal flew into trouble
Parramatta was laid down at Williamstown, Victoria on 24 April 1999. The ship was assembled from six hull modules and six superstructure modules; the superstructure modules were fabricated in Whangarei, New Zealand, and hull modules were built at both Williamstown and Newcastle, New South Wales, with final integration at Williamstown. She was launched on 17 June 2000. Parramatta was commissioned into the RAN on 4 October 2003.
Operational history
In 2005, Parramatta was sent for six months service in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Catalyst, returning to Sydney on 13 April 2006. Parramatta and {{HMAS|Newcastle|FFG 06|6}} were the first RAN ships to be fitted with two M2HB .50 calibre machine guns in Mini Typhoon mounts; now a standard theatre fit for all RAN frigates deployed to the Persian Gulf. During the deployment period, her crew carried out 186 vessel boardings and security patrols, and were involved in training other vessels in the Iraq Coalition.Hey, little fella - I'm your daddy, in The Sydney Morning Herald Parramatta was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation in 2007 for her efforts and conduct during this deployment.Operation Catalyst (Iraq), HMAS Parramatta, in It's an Honour
In December 2011, while deployed to the Middle East, Parramatta provided fuel and food to an Iranian dhow that was adrift off Yemen.Nicholson, Navy races to rescue Iranians in distress
File:HMAS Parramatta with Japanese and US Navy ships in 2019.jpg
In October 2013, Parramatta participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/ifr/participants/warships |title=Participating Warships |date=2013 |work=International Fleet Review 2013 website |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210092404/http://www.navy.gov.au/ifr/participants/warships |archive-date=10 December 2013 |access-date=14 December 2015 |url-status=dead}}
In November 2014, Parramatta and sister ship {{HMAS|Stuart|FFH 153|2}} were deployed to shadow a Russian naval force operating in international waters off Australia during the 2014 G-20 Brisbane summit.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/in-depth/troubled-waters-as-russians-send-warships/story-fnpebfcn-1227121141676 |title=Troubled waters as Russians send warships |last=Nicholson |first=Brendan |author2=Martin, Sarah |author3=Markson, Sharri |author3-link=Sharri Markson |date=13 November 2014 |work=The Australian Business Review |access-date=13 November 2014}} The Russian deployment was believed to be in response to troubled recent relationships between the two nations.
Parramatta was docked in March 2015 to undergo the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade.Henderson, New-look, new crew The upgrade will include the fitting of CEA Technologies' CEAFAR and CEAMOUNT phased array radars on new masts, a Vampir NG Infrared Search and Track system, and Sharpeye Navigational Radar Systems, along with improvements to the operations room equipment and layout.ASMD Upgrade commences on Perth, in The Navy The upgrade was completed in April 2016 and she rejoined the fleet in July.{{Cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/article/59720/ran-anzac-frigate-completes-asmd-upgrade|title=RAN ANZAC frigate completes ASMD upgrade|last1=Kerr|first1=Julian|last2=Scott|first2=Richard|date=22 April 2016|website=IHS Jane's 360|publisher=IHS Jane's Navy International|access-date=23 April 2016}}
During late 2019 the frigate took part in efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea as part of Operation Argos.{{cite news |title=Defence confirms first commitment to Operation Argos for 2020 |url=https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/maritime-antisub/5603-defence-confirms-first-commitment-to-operation-argos-for-2020 |access-date=17 July 2021 |work=Defence Connect |date=19 February 2020 |language=en}}
Citations
{{Reflist}}
References
;Books
- {{cite book|last=Fairall-Lee |first=Sam |author2=Miller, Kate |author3=Murphy, David |title=Sea Power: Challenges Old and New |editor=Andrew Forbes |publisher=Halstead Press |location=Ultimo, NSW |year=2007 |chapter=The Royal Australian Navy in 2030 |isbn=978-1-920831-44-8 }}
- {{cite book |last=Greener |first=Peter |title=Timing is everything: the politics and processes of New Zealand defence acquisition decision making |publisher=ANU E Press |series=Canberra Papers on Strategy and Defence |volume=173 |location=Canberra, ACT |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-921536-65-6 |url=http://epress.anu.edu.au/timing_citation.html |access-date=1 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407100508/http://epress.anu.edu.au/timing_citation.html |archive-date=7 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}
- {{cite book|last=Jones |first=Peter |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |series=The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III) |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |chapter=A Period of Change and Uncertainty |location=South Melbourne, VIC |isbn=0-19-555542-2 |oclc=50418095}}
- {{cite book |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1998–99 |editor=Sharpe, Richard |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location=Coulsdon, Surrey |year=1998 |edition=101st |isbn=0-7106-1795-X |oclc=39372676}}
- {{cite book |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems |editor=Wertheim, Eric |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |year=2007 |edition=15th |isbn=978-1-59114-955-2 |oclc=140283156 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TJunjRvplU4C}}
;Journal articles
- {{cite journal|last1=Fish |first1=Tim |last2=Grevatt |first2=Jon |date=24 June 2008 |title=Australia's HMAS Toowoomba test fires MU90 torpedo |journal=Jane's Navy International |publisher=Jane's Information Group}}
- {{cite journal|last=Grazebrook |first=A.W. |date=1 November 1996 |title=Anzac frigates sail diverging courses |journal=Jane's Navy International |publisher=Jane's Information Group |volume=101 |issue=9}}
- {{cite journal|last=Jon |first=Grevatt |date=5 March 2008 |title=Australia cancels troubled Super Seasprite programme |journal=Jane's Defence Industry |publisher=Jane's Information Group}}
- {{cite journal|last=Scott |first=Richard |date=16 December 2005 |title=Updating ANZACs to meet changed strategic posture |journal=Jane's Navy International |publisher=Jane's Information Group}}
- {{cite journal |last=Scott |first=Richard |date=12 December 2007 |title=Enhanced small-calibre systems offer shipborne stopping power |journal=International Defence Review |publisher=Jane's Information Group}}
- {{cite journal |date=April 2010 |title=ASMD Upgrade commences on Perth |journal=The Navy |publisher=The Navy League of Australia |volume=72 |issue=2 |pages=16–17}}
;News articles
- {{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/16/1023864378971.html |title=How a helicopter deal flew into trouble |last=Forbes |first=Mark |date=17 June 2002 |work=The Age |access-date=20 September 2011}}
- {{cite news |url=http://navynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=117655#folio=8 |title=New-look, new crew |last=Henderson |first=Marc |date=23 April 2015|work=Navy News |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |page=8 |access-date=20 April 2015}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/navy-races-to-rescue-iranians-in-distress/story-e6frg8yo-1226232898330 |title=Navy races to rescue Iranians in distress |last=Nicholson |first=Brendan |date=30 December 2011 |work=The Australian |access-date=6 January 2012}}
- {{cite news |title=Hey, little fella - I'm your daddy |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 April 2006 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hey-im-your-daddy/2006/04/13/1144521466285.html |access-date=14 April 2006}}
;Websites
- {{cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1134432 |title=Operation Catalyst (Iraq), HMAS Parramatta |work=It's an Honour |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=29 October 2011}}
External links
{{Commons category|HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154)}}
- [http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-parramatta-iv RAN webpage for HMAS Parramatta (IV)]
{{Anzac class frigate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parramatta, HMAS}}
Category:Anzac-class frigates of the Royal Australian Navy