HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06)

HMAS Newcastle in 2010
History
Australia
Namesake:	City of Newcastle
Builder:	Australian Marine Engineering Consolidated
Laid down:	21 July 1989
Launched:	21 February 1992
Commissioned:	11 December 1993
Motto:	Enterprise
Honours and awards:	Battle honours: East Timor 1999–2000 Persian Gulf 2002–03
Status:	Active as of 2017
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Adelaide-class guided missile frigate
Displacement:	4,100 tons
Length:	138.1 m (453 ft) overall
Beam:	13.7 m (45 ft)
Draught:	4.5 m (15 ft)
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 41,000 horsepower (31,000 kW), 1 shaft 2 × 650-horsepower (480 kW) auxiliary propulsors
Speed:	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range:	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:	184 (including 15 officers, not including aircrew)
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 air search radar AN/SPS-55 surface search and navigation radar SPG-60 fire control radar (Mark 92 fire control system) AN/SQS-56 hull-mounted sonar
Armament:	1 × Mark 13 Missile Launcher for Harpoon and Standard missiles 1 × 8-cell Mark 41 VLS with Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles 2 × Mark 32 torpedo tubes 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun 1 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Up to 6 x 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns 2 × M2HB .50 calibre Mini Typhoons (fitted as required)
Aircraft carried:	2 helicopters

HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06), named for the city of Newcastle, New South Wales, the largest provincial city in Australia, is an Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The last ship of the class to be constructed, Newcastle entered service in 1993. During her career, the frigate has operated as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, served in the Persian Gulf, and responded to the 2006 Fijian coup d'état. The frigate is active as of 2017.

Following the cancellation of the Australian light destroyer project in 1973, the British Type 42 destroyer and the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate were identified as alternatives to replace the cancelled light destroyers and the Daring-class destroyers. Although the Oliver Hazard Perry class was still at the design stage, the difficulty of fitting the Type 42 with the SM-1 missile, and the success of the Perth-class acquisition (a derivative of the American Charles F. Adams-class destroyer) compared to equivalent British designs led the Australian government to approve the purchase of two US-built Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates in 1976. A third was ordered in 1977, followed by a fourth, with all four ships integrated into the USN's shipbuilding program. A further two ships (including Newcastle) were ordered in 1980, and were constructed in Australia.

As designed, Newcastle had a full load displacement of 4,100 tons, a length overall of 138.1 metres (453 ft), a beam of 13.7 metres (45 ft), and a draught of 4.5 metres (15 ft). Propulsion machinery consists of two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, which provide a combined 41,000 horsepower (31,000 kW) to the single propeller shaft. Top speed is 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph), with a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Two 650-horsepower (480 kW) electric auxiliary propulsors are used for close manoeuvring, with a top speed of 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph). Standard ship's company is 184, including 15 officers, but excluding the flight crew for the embarked helicopters.

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