HMAS Anzac (III)

HMAS Anzac (III) was the first of ten Anzac class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal New Zealand Navy. It was based on the German MEKO 200 design. HMAS Anzac was a capable, flexible and powerful seaborne platform.

Anzac was the oldest ship in commission between 15 June 2023 and its decommissioning on 18 May 2024.

HMAS Anzac (III) during exercises in the Western Australian Exercise Area in February 2016.

Built by Tenix Defence systems at Williamstown in Victoria, the keel of Anzac was laid on 5 November 1993.

Anzac was launched on 16 September 1994 by Lieutenant Colonel V Statham AO MBE ARRC ED FNM. Lieutenant Statham was better known as Vivian Bullwinkel, Second World War nurse and sole survivor of the Bangka Island massacre.

The ship was commissioned into service on 18 May 1996 under the command of Captain Les Pataky.

The Anzac class did surface and undersea warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance.

All vessel in the class had a flexible engineering plant with both diesel engines for routine operations and a gas turbine for higher speed.

Three RAN ships have carried the name Anzac. They were named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the First World War. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula as part of a larger Allied Force on 25 April 1915. They met fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. The campaign lasted eight months and created a legend of endurance, selflessness and dedication to duty. As such, Anzac (III) bears the motto, United We Stand.

In 1997 Anzac deployed to the Southern Ocean to protect Australia’s exclusive economic zone from illegal fishing. Its range of 6 000 nautical miles at 18 knots made it ideally suited to the patrolling.

Anzac was often at the centre of Australia’s most important international commitments. In 1999, Anzac was part of the Australian-led peacekeeping force in East Timor (INTERFET). This force was created to help the humanitarian and security crisis after the East Timor Special Autonomy Referendum.

Anzac participated in Operation BASTILLE in the Middle East in January 2003, in Operation FALCONER in March and the Gulf War.

In the Gulf War, Anzac was mainly involved in patrol and force protection operations. On 21 March 2003, Anzac gave gunfire support for Royal Marines securing oil terminals on the Al Faw peninsula. It operated with HM Ships Marlborough, Chatham and Richmond. Anzac targeted Iraqi command, bunker and artillery positions. This was the first time since the Vietnam War that an RAN ship had provided naval gunfire support. The salvos from Anzac’s 5-inch (127 mm) guns were effective, and Iraqi forces withdrew or surrendered. This was the first of Anzac's seven gunfire-support missions that week. In recognition, the ship and its crew received a Meritorious Unit Citation.

Anzac returned to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) again in 2007 to assist in Iraqi reconstruction. It went back once more in 2012 to counter international terrorism and piracy.

Anzac twice joined commemorative activities on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. During a world trip in 2005, Anzac visited Anzac Cove, Gallipoli for the 90th anniversary of the landings. In company with warships of Britain, France and Turkey, Anzac provided a backdrop to the dawn service ceremony.

During the deployment, Anzac celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. the commemoration took place in the United Kingdom as part of the International Fleet Review. Anzac was granted freedom of entry to the City of Albany, Western Australia, the departure port for the ANZAC.

The Warnbro High School, near its home port of Rockingham in Western Australia, established the 'HMAS Anzac Learning Centre'. The centre teaches the history of Australia in the First World War.

In late October 2014 the ship participated in the commemoration of troops sailing from the port of Albany to the First World War. Seven warships lined up in King George Sound in front of approximately 60 000 spectators to replicate the departure 100 years on.

In 2015 Anzac returned to Turkey and joined the 100th anniversary commemoration of the ANZAC landings.

Anzac was the second of its class to complete the Anzac Mid-Life Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) upgrade. This took place at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson, Western Australia.

The ship later received upgrades to the combat system and the addition of an Australian-designed CEAFAR radar. The upgrade was performed by the Warship Asset Management Agreement (WAMA) Alliance. The upgrade included:

• replacement of the long-range air search radar, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)

• replacement of secondary surveillance radar

• improvements to platform reliability and maintainability

• improvements to crew living conditions

• upgrades to communications systems.

Anzac regularly conducted regional presence deployments, building relationships with regional partners. In 2008 Anzac conducted goodwill visits and training in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore.

In early March 2021 Anzac deployed to Southeast Asia and the Northern Indian Ocean. The frigate exercised with navies from France, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States and Canada.

Nearing the end of the deployment, Anzac supported a critical search and rescue effort. It travelled 670 nautical miles west of Perth to help an Indonesian fishing boat in distress. The ship rescued 20 fishermen. The fishermen were given medical assistance and accommodation before being returned to Bali. Anzac decommissioned at Fleet Base West on the 28th anniversary of its commissioning on 18 May 2024