HMAS Canberra (FFG 02)

HMAS CANBERRA (FFG 02) was the second ship of her class to be built for the RAN.  She was Launched on 01 Dec 1978 and Commissioned on 21 Mar 1981.

CANBERRA and her five sister ships ADELAIDE, SYDNEY, DARWIN, MELBOURNE and NEWCASTLE were the first RAN ships to be powered by gas turbines for their main propulsion.

CANBERRA's principal weapons are the Standard medium range anti-aircraft missile and the Harpoon anti-ship missile, both of which are fired from the Mk13 launcher on the forecastle. She has a 76mm gun mounted forward of the funnel to counter both anti-aircraft and anti-surface threats and is fitted with the NULKA decoy system and one 20mm Phalanx close-in weapon system for anti-missile defence.

CANBERRA also carries two S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters for long range anti-submarine tasks and two Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes for close-in anti-submarine defence. The ship's sensors include long and short range radars and an electro-optical tracking system for air and surface surveillance, electronic warfare surveillance sensors and a hull mounted sonar.

HMAS CANBERRA was decommissioned on 12 Nov 2005 providing over 24 years service and is destined to be sunk as a dive wreak off the coast of Victoria in early 2009.

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