Progress Update on Future RAN Hobart Class Destroyer Program

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Naval Industry News - Australia
 
 
 
Progress Update on Future RAN Hobart Class Destroyer Program
 
The total number of blocks lifted onto the ship structure now stands at 22 with Block 417 lifted into place earlier this month. Block 417 will eventually carry the MK 45 Mod 4 5 inch 62 calibre gun, the gun magazine and ammunition. In the coming month another four key blocks are expected to be lifted onto the ship structure, this includes Block 503, the stern of the ship, Block 709 that will hold the Aegis SPY radar array faces, the mast and Block 601, the bow of the ship.
     
Video: Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance
     
Hull mounted sonar

The three-tonne hull mounted sonar (HMS) array for Hobart was delivered in Adelaide this week after passing a listening exercise, designed to prove the transducers are functioning properly. A transducer is a device that converts electrical energy to acoustic energy and vice versa.

When Hobart is operational, the hull-mounted sonar will work in close conjunction with the towed variable-depth sonar as part of the ships’ integrated sonar system to provide a comprehensive picture of the underwater environment.

The HMS sonar array is now a finished product ready for delivery after a team effort by Australian, UK and US suppliers. The HMS array was tested at the Broens facility in South Australia. The array frame was populated with transducers from Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems in the United States before being attached to the array mount provided by Tods Defence in the UK which provides the interface to the ship.

The array will be installed at the bow of the ship and will be protected through life by the Sonar Dome.

Major ship systems energised

The Main Reduction Gearbox for Hobart was made live recently following collaborative work between the Production, Test and Activation, Engineering and Fabrication sub-contracts teams, as well as specialist machining contractor Furminite.

This enabled gearbox rotation for the machining activity and represents one of the first major ship systems to be energised.