Hobart-class Guided Missile Destroyer

The Hobart-class Guided Missile Destroyer is a class of warship designed to replace the decommissioned Perth-class destroyers in the RAN. The Hobart is based on the Spanish Álvaro de Bazán-class guided missile frigate. Although the designation "Air Warfare Destroyer" is used to describe ships dedicated to the defence of a naval force (plus assets ashore) from aircraft and missile attack, the planned Australian destroyers would also be able to operate in anti-surface, anti-submarine, and naval gunfire support roles. The Hobart was launched in mid 2006 and commissioned in late 2007. The remaining three ships would enter service from mid 2008 through early 2011.

Specifications

 * Type: Guided Missile Destroyer
 * Service Period: 2007-
 * Characteristics
 * Length: 483 feet (147.22 meters)
 * Beam: 61 feet (18.60 meters)
 * Draught: 17 feet (5.19 meters)
 * Displacement: 6,900 tons (Full Load)
 * Crew: 202 (186 ship crew and 16 air crew)
 * Power: 91,000 (58 MW)
 * Propulsion:
 * 2 x General Electric Marine model 7LM2500-SA-MLG38 gas turbines, 67,000 hp (35,000 kW)
 * 2 x Caterpillar Bravo 16 V Bravo diesel engines, 15,160 hp (11,300 kW)
 * 2 x controllable pitch propellers
 * Range: 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 kilometers) at 18 knots (33.34 km/h)
 * Speed: 28+ knots (51.85+ km/h)
 * Sensor Suite/Countermeasures
 * AEGIS Combat System
 * Raytheon AN/SPY-1D(V) S-band air search radar
 * Northrop Grumman AN/SPQ-9B X-band fire control radar
 * Raytheon Mark 99 fire-control system with two continuous wave illuminating radars
 * L-3 Communications SAM Electronics X-band navigation radars x 2
 * Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems' Modular Multistatic Variable Depth Sonar System
 * Ultra Electronics Series 2500 electro-optical director
 * Sagem VAMPIR IR search and track system
 * Rafael Toplite stabilised target acquisition sights
 * ITT EDO Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems ES-3701 ESM radar
 * SwRI MBS-567A communications ESM system
 * Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems multipurpose digital receiver
 * Jenkins Engineering Defence Systems low-band receiver
 * Countermeasures
 * AN/SLY-2 Electronic Warfare Suite
 * AN/SLQ-25 Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures
 * AN/SLQ-49 Chaff Buoy Decoy System
 * Mk.53 Nulka decoy launchers x 4
 * 6-tube multipurpose decoy launchers x 4
 * Rheinmetall TWAK/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System)
 * Armament
 * 1 x Mk.45 Mod 4 5"/62-caliber lightweight naval gun
 * 1 x 48-cell Mk.41 Vertical Launching System (fires RGM-109 Tomahawk, RUM-139 VL-ASROC, RIM-156 SM-2ER Block IV, RIM-161 SM-3 RIM-162 ESSM, RIM-174 Standard ERAM)
 * 2 x 4-canister Mk.141 Harpoon Missile Launchers - replaced by RGM-184 Naval Strike Missile
 * 2 x M242 Bushmaster 25mm autocannons
 * 2 x Mk.32 Mod 9 triple fire torpedo tubes (fires Eurotorp MU90 torpedoes)
 * 1 x 20mm Phalanx 1B CIWS
 * Aircraft Carried: 1 x Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopter

Unit Run

 * HMAS Hobart (D45)
 * HMAS Brisbane (D46)
 * HMAS Melbourne (D47)
 * HMAS Darwin (D48)