The first of class Hobart, a guided missile destroyer for the Royal Australian Navy, completed its Sea Acceptance Trials on Monday following 21 days of testing at sea. Photo: Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance.

March 6 (UPI) -- Australia's first Air Warfare Destroyer has successfully completed weeks of Sea Acceptance Trials off the coast of South Australia.

"Over the past five weeks, the AWD Alliance has conducted some 20 platform system tests and 45 combat system tests, to successfully validate Hobart's complete Mission System," AWD Alliance General Manager Paul Evans said in a press release.


"Completing Acceptance Sea Trials on a first of class ship is a momentous occasion for the Alliance as we move closer to delivering Hobart to [The Department of] Defense. It has been achieved through the extraordinary efforts of the on-board crew and support team, whose dedication and commitment has been instrumental in ensuring the success of Hobart's sea trials."

The Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, which is delivering the guided missile destroyers, is comprised of Australian shipbuilder ASC, mission systems integrator Raytheon Australia and the Government's Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group.

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Shipbuilder Navantia also contributes to the AWD program.

Work on the first-of-class Hobart started in January of 2010. The destroyer was launched in 2015. It is expected to be turned over to the Royal Australian Navy in July.

"Hobart's sensors, weapons and communications systems have been put to the test by Royal Australian Air Force and civilian aircraft, Royal Australian Navy ships and helicopters through a complex series of simulated scenarios and battle space management," AWD Alliance Program Manager Commodore Craig Bourke said of the acceptance trials completed on Monday.

"This achievement demonstrates and proves the capacity of Australia's sovereign defense industry to successfully build and integrate ships for our specific defense needs."

The second of three AWD vessels, the Brisbane, is to begin Builder's Sea Trials this year.

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