HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41) has recently completed her Category 5 (CAT 5) Sea Trials off the coast of Adelaide. During CAT 5 Sea Trials, the functional performance of the Mission System as a whole is verified. This verification is a pre-requisite to enable the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance to deliver Brisbane to the Department of Defence for provisional acceptance.

During this phase of trials, testing of key components of both the platform and combat systems occurred. Achieving this key milestone represents an important step closer to becoming the RAN’s newest DDG.

During this period some of Brisbane’s crew were fortunate enough to participate and support the trial process and played a crucial role in assisting the civilian contractors through this process to achieve the desired outcome.

Brisbane’s first catering team, led by POML-C Nicholas Pearce, provided an impressive level of catering support to the 220 Navy and contracted personnel onboard throughout the trial.

Maritime Logistics Officer HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41), Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Warren Lynch, said through careful planning and liaison with uniformed and civilian stakeholders, Brisbane’s chefs were able to provide a high quality of service for the entire period that the ship was at sea.

«The food and service provided by Brisbane’s chefs was consumed with hearty enthusiasm, and thoroughly enjoyed by all», he said. «With introducing a new capability into service, there are always some teething issues and challenges associated with setting to work a new ship and finding your ‘zen’ within a new work space; however, the team performed exceptionally well and were able to adapt quickly and professionally to the new environment».

One of the main challenges encountered by the team was the distance between the main servery line and the galley, which is physically separated by two watertight bulkheads.

After close liaising with the team on HMAS Hobart (DDG-39), the HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41) catering team was able to implement the same measures to ensure that an effective mitigation could be implemented to support a high quality of service throughout the trial.

The successful completion of NUSHIP Brisbane’s CAT 5 trials is another critical milestone that places HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41) within firing distance of her October commissioning date.

 

Characteristics

Length	481.3 feet/146.7 m
Beam	61 feet/18.6 m
Draft	23.6 feet/7.2 m
Full load displacement	7,000 tonnes
Main Engine	36 MW/48,276 hp
Top speed	28+ knots/32 mph/52 km/h
Range at 18+ knots/21 mph/33 km/h	5,000+ NM/5,779 miles/9,300 km
Crew	186
Accommodation	234
Combat System	Aegis Weapon System Baseline 7.1
	AN/SPY-1D(V) Phased Array Radar (81 NM/93 miles/150 km)
	AN/SPQ-9B Horizon Search Radar
	Mk-41 Vertical Launch System (48 VLS cells: RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM)/Standard Missile-2 (SM-2)/SM-6)
	Mk-45 Mod.4 5” (127-mm) 62 Calibre Gun (Range: 20 NM/23 miles/37 km)
	Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control (2 × 4 launchers)
	Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite
	Very Short-Range Air and Surface Defence
	Nulka Active Missile Decoy system
	Integrated Sonar System incorporating a hull mounted and towed array sonar
	Communications Suite
Aviation	Flightdeck and hangar for one helicopter
Boats	Two Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs)