HMAS Anzac

not to be confused with HMAS Anzac (D59) or HMAS Anzac (G90)

## HMAS Anzac (FFH 150)

HMAS Anzac

**HMAS *Anzac* (FFH 150)** is the lead ship of the *Anzac*-class frigates in use with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Entering Australian service in 1996, the frigate operated as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce in 1999. In 2003, she was involved in the Battle of Al Faw, and became the first RAN ship to fire in anger since the Vietnam War. The ship is operational as of 2023.

### Operational History

In October 1997, the *Anzac* conducted Operation Dirk supported by HMAS *Westralia* targeting illegal fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean catching the Patagonian toothfish around Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the Australian Fisheries Zone with the *Salvora* and the *Aliza Glacial* apprehended boarded by Clearance divers.

*Anzac* was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 19 to 29 September 1999. The ship was later awarded the battle honour "East Timor 1999" in recognition of this deployment.

Between 2001 and 2003, *Anzac* was deployed to the Persian Gulf on three occasions.

*Anzac* was deployed to the Persian Gulf for the third time from February until May 2003, as part of Operation Falconer. On 21 March 2003, *Anzac* provided naval gunfire support during the Battle of Al Faw. The intent of the assault was to capture the Al Faw Peninsula before Iraqi forces could sabotage the two major oil terminals in the area. The frigate began her first fire support mission at 06:04 on 21 March (the first time a RAN ship had fired in anger in 31 years) and completed seven fire missions over a three-day period. The frigate received the Meritorious Unit Citation on 27 November 2003 for her service during this deployment. In March 2010, *Anzac* was awarded the battle honours "Persian Gulf 2001–03" and "Iraq 2003".

In 2005, *Anzac* participated in a Northern Trident deployment: a round-the-world voyage intended as a flag-showing cruise to the northern hemisphere. As part of this deployment, *Anzac* was involved in ceremonies for the 90th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, and participated in the fleet review for the bicentenary of the battle of Trafalgar.

On the morning of 13 March 2009, *Anzac* was one of seventeen warships involved in a ceremonial fleet entry and fleet review in Sydney Harbour, the largest collection of RAN ships since the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. The frigate was one of the thirteen ships involved in the ceremonial entry through Sydney Heads, and anchored in the harbour for the review.

*Anzac* was assigned to Rotation 29 of Operation Slipper from July 2012 to January 2013 as part of the International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT), and which included counter-piracy in the Arabian Sea region and elsewhere.

During 2014, *Anzac* was the third ship of the class to undergo the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade. The upgrade occurred across 2014 and early 2015, the upgrade included the fitting of CEA Technologies' CEAFAR and CEAMOUNT phased array radars, on new masts, a Vampir NG Infrared Search and Track system, and Sharpeye Navigational Radar Systems, along with improvements to the operations room equipment and layout.

Between March and October 2015, *Anzac* sailed on a second Northern Trident deployment. The 27,000-nautical-mile (50,000 km; 31,000 mi) circumnavigation included port visits to 11 countries and participation in commemorative services for the Gallipoli and Normandy landings.

*Anzac* has received freedom of entry to the city of Albany, Western Australia: Albany was the port the first convoy of the ANZACs departed Australia from.