HMAS Sydney Handed Back to Navy Following Major Up

HMAS Sydney Handed Back to Navy Following Major Upgrade

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(Source: ADI, Ltd.; issued April 28, 2006)

Australia’s largest defence company ADI Limited has today formally handed back to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) the guided missile frigate HMAS Sydney following a major upgrade.

Project directors from ADI Limited and the Defence Materiel Organisation joined HMAS Sydney’s Commanding Officer Commander Peter Quinn in a formal signing ceremony at the RAN’s Sydney fleet base to mark the occasion on Friday April 28.

The hand back ceremony comes after a successful sea trials program over recent months, during which the ships new weapons systems, sensors, machinery and combat system were thoroughly tested.

Today’s ceremony is not the end of the technology improvements for HMAS Sydney. As the lead ship in the upgrade program, Sydney will continue to serve as the prototype ship for further software improvements and enhanced war fighting capabilities.

Vice President Thales Naval Australia and ADI’s Director of Naval, Ali Baghaei, described the occasion as an important milestone in the $1bn FFG Upgrade Project.

“Equipping a 20-year old ship with the latest naval combat system technology was never going to be easy.

“This project has been a significant challenge for ADI, with many issues often outside our control. We have demonstrated great commitment & persistence in meeting these challenges where many other contractors may well have given up.

“By introducing new management to provide vision and focus, the project has been turned around such that HMAS Sydney is being handed over today, and HMAS Melbourne has commenced her upgrade and is on schedule.

“This achievement today reflects the dedication and efforts of Industry, the DMO and Navy. I would especially like to acknowledge both the ADI and DMO Project Teams, and the Officers and Ships Company of HMAS Sydney for their outstanding contribution,” Mr Baghaei said.

The FFG Upgrade project is the most sophisticated naval systems integration task ever undertaken in Australia by an Australian company involving both new technologies and legacy equipment.

Central to the upgrade is the ADI-developed Australian Distributed Architecture Combat System (ADACS). ADI is the only Australian company to have designed, developed and installed an Australian naval combat system.

The second ship to be upgraded, HMAS Melbourne, entered dry dock at ADI’s Garden Island facility in February. Her upgrade installation is expected to be completed by early 2007.