The RAN’s HMAS Sydney V departed Sydney on March 11 for a three-month deployment to the US to conduct weapon systems trials.
The vessel is the third and final Hobart class air warfare destroyer (DDG) to undergo the trials in conjunction with the US Navy, after HMA Ships Hobart and Brisbane completed their trials in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Its Aegis combat system, AN/SPY-1D radar and other sensors, and cooperative engagement capability (CEC) will be put through their paces.
The vessel will also test its torpedos, decoy systems, electronic warfare systems, air defence missiles, deck gun, and its MH-60R helicopter against various high fidelity systems and targets to validate their effectiveness.
The trials will be conducted on ranges off California and Hawai’i, and will culminate in a live-firing shootdown of various airborne targets by the vessel’s SM-2 and ESSM surface-to-air missiles.