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Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48)

Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48) 0Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48) 1Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48) 2Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48) 3Destroyer escort HMAS Stuart (DE 48) 4

Classification

Ship class:
River-class destroyer escort
Type:
Destroyer escort

Basic information

Operator:
Royal Australian NavyRoyal Australian Navy
Country of build:
Builder:
Cockatoo Island Dockyard
Laid down:
Launched:
Commissioned (service):
Decommissioned (out):
Status:
Decommissioned
Fate:
Broken up for scrap

Ship measurements

Displacement:
2,750 t
Length:
112.8 m
Beam (waterline):
12.49 m
Draft:
5.18 m

Machine

Propulsion:
  • 2 * English Electric steam turbines
  • 2 * shaft
  • 30,000 shp
Speed:
31.9 knots

Combat assets

Electronics:
  • LW02 long range air warning radar

Added 1979:

  • Mulloka sonar system
  • SPS-55 surface-search/navigation radar
  • Mark 22 fire control radar
  • Other system for different units
Armament:

Original:

  • 2 * 4.5 inch Mark 6 guns (1 twin turret)
  • 2 * Limbo Mark 10 anti-submarine mortar

1979 refit:

  • 1 * quad Seacat SAM launcher
  • 1 * Ikara ASW system
  • 2 * Mark 32 torpedo tubes

HMAS Stuart (F21/DE 48) was one of six River-class destroyer escorts (a licence-built Type 12M frigate) built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship was laid down by the Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in 1959, and commissioned into the RAN in 1963.

During the ship's career, Stuart achieved a number of historical firsts: she was the first RAN ship to fly the Australian White Ensign, and the first major vessel to be homeported at Fleet Base West.

Stuart was paid off in 1991, a year later than originally planned; RAN commitments to the Gulf War saw several warships deployed to the Middle East, and Stuart was retained in service to boost local defence. The destroyer escort was sold for scrapping.

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