HMAS Canberra (L02) Turning 180 Degrees and Departing Cairns Harbour on 21 Aug 2024.

‪@shipsintropicaloz‬ Royal Australian Navy's 2nd largest ship, HMAS Canberra turning 180 degrees before departing Cairns on 21st August 2024. A Canberra-class ship, HMAS Canberra is a landing helicopter dock (LHD) - a multipurpose amphibious assault ship that is capable of operating as a helicopter carrier and also has a well deck for supporting landing crafts. LHD vessels are built with a full flight deck similar in appearance to a light aircraft carrier to operate VTOL rotorcrafts such as utility and attack helicopters, and can also support tiltrotor aircraft (such as the MV-22 Osprey) and VSTOL fixed-wing aircraft (such as the AV-8 Harrier and the F-35B Lightning II).
The Canberra class is a ship class of two landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The largest one is HMAS Adelaide (L01). Planning to upgrade the navy's amphibious fleet began in 2000, based on Australian experiences leading the International Force for East Timor peacekeeping operation. With a new climate for growing Australian Navy spending, a desire existed for forward defence capability for landing and supporting troops on Asian territory, that had never existed in Australian history, even with the old Majestic-class light fleet carriers, HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney in the 1970s.
Construction of the first ship, HMAS Canberra, commenced in late 2008, with the hull launched in early 2011, and sea trials in early 2014. Canberra was commissioned in November 2014. Work on the second vessel, HMAS Adelaide, started in early 2010. Adelaide was commissioned in December 2015. They are the largest vessels ever operated by the RAN, with a displacement of 27,500 tonnes (27,100 long tons; 30,300 short tons).
The ships are home-ported at Fleet Base East in Sydney (which has prompted complaints from nearby residents about machinery noise, exhaust fumes, and blocked views) and will regularly operate out of Townsville, the location of Lavarack Barracks, home of the Australian Army's 3rd Brigade. In addition to being located in North Queensland close to Asia and the Pacific Islands, one of the 3rd Brigade's infantry battalions, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), was selected to become the Army's specialist amphibious infantry battalion.
Sensors and processing systems:
Giraffe AMB radar
Saab 9LV combat system
Electronic warfare & decoys:
AN/SLQ-25C Nixie towed torpedo decoy
Nulka missile decoy
Armament:
4 × Rafael Typhoon 25 mm (1.0 in) remote weapons systems
6 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns
Aircraft carried:
8 helicopters (standard)
18 helicopters (maximum hangar space)
Aviation facilities:
Flight deck with 13-degree ski-jump, 6 in-line deck landing spots