Naval Public Relations.

"3ST: 52.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

"MISSILE" FRIGATE JOINS NAVY.

A new warship for the R.A.N. will officially join

the Navy in Melbourne this month.

The Minister for the Navy, Mr. Chaney, will formally

accept the new frigate,  H.M.A.S. DERWENT,  at a hand-over

ceremony at sea in Port Phillip Bay next Thursday (23rd April)

The ships company of 250 officers and men will commission the

2,500 ton frigate at Williamstown Naval Dockyard in Melbourne

on April the 30th. "

DERWENT was built at Williamstown, and is the last

of four "Type 12" frigates built at Australian dockyards

during the past few years.  Her sister ships, PARRAMATTA,

YARRA and STUART are already at sea,  and they rank among the

best anti-submarine frigates in the world.

Mr. Chaney said today that DERWENT would commission

as the R.A.N.1s first ship equipped with an operational guided

missile system. She had "Seacat" close-range anti-aircraft

missiles for self-defence against air attack. She was also

designed for the installation of the "Ikara" anti-submarine

missile system currently being developed in Australia.

He said another significant "first" for DERWENT

was in her submarine detection capacity. She was. the first

R.A.N. warship with a variable depth sonar. This equipment

could be lowered to various depths beneath the water to

improve submarine detection in all sea conditions.

./2 .

2

DERWENT'S conventional -armament includes two 4.5 inch

guns,  and anti-submarine mortars.  She is prepared for atomic

warfare,  and has a "wetting down" device to cope with nuclear

fall-out.  .  .  (

The new frigate is under the- command of Commander

R.C. Swan, whose last appointment was on the staff of the

SEATO Military Planning Office in Bangkok.

After commissioning at the end of April,

H.M.A.S. DERWENT will operate in Victorian waters for two

weeks before sailing for the Sydney area.

-00 O00 -

Canberra.  16th April, 1964.

-ooOoo-

Memo Melbourne Chiefs of Staff; '  Ã¢ÂÂ

Arrangements for coverage of the acceptance ceremony;

on the 23rd should be made with the General Manager of the

Williams town Naval Dockyard , Â·  Captain G.P. Hood (65 621 1 ).

Coverage of the commissioning on the 30th should be arranged

direct with the P.R.O. for DERWENT,  Lieutenant John Lindsay,

who can be contacted through the Dockyard (65 6211).

vl

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