Australia takes delivery of AWD Hobart

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has provisionally accepted delivery of its first Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) - HMAS Hobart - at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, the DoD announced on 16 June.

Hobart is the first of three destroyers being built and integrated by the AWD Alliance for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

With its Sea Acceptance Trials completed in March, Hobart will enter service with the RAN later this year.

Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, said 'Hobart will play a critical role for defence by providing new interoperable capabilities for the RAN. By using a combination of US and Australian technologies, these ships will allow us to work even closer with our allies.

'Importantly, these ships will provide a safer environment for Australia’s entire defence force, as they have the ability to move faster for longer, whilst forming a protective bubble around themselves and other assets in a task force.'