- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see HMAS Huon in game.
HMAS Huon at sea during the early 2000s
Description:
HMAS Huon was the lead ship of the six strong Huon-class of Minesweepers built for the Royal Australian Navy in the turn of the century.
The Huon-class were initially intended to replace the five year old Bay-class minehunters, due to their inability for operations above sea state 4, and integration problems with that classes SONAR. They would be based on the Italian Gaeta-class with Australian modifications.
The Huons would represent a large increase in capability for the RAN, who would now operate a minehunting fleet which could reliably operate in all weather conditions, with a large individual capability per vessel
This suggestion is for the HMAS Huon as she commissioned in 1999.
HMAS Huon recovering her divers during an exercise in New Zealand in 2014
History:
Laid down by Intermarine shipyard in Sarzana, Italy, in September 1994, however once the hull was completed in 1995, she would be moved to Australian Defence Industries yard in Newcastle, NSW. She would complete and be launched on the 25th of July 1997, fitting out and having trials through to the 15th of May 1999, when she would commission into the RAN.
Immediately upon commissioning she would join the minehunting group out of HMAS Waterhen, the RAN’s mine warfare training school. She would partake in exercise Crocodile 99 near Queensland during September 1999, moving south to Tasmania in November. She would return to Sydney at the end of this voyage, as the other Huon-class were commissioning to form a full Flotilla.
By February 2004 she would partake in Operation Anode, part of the ADF’s contribution to the Assistance mission to the Solomon Islands, where she would patrol the areas around the islands. A year later in February 2005, she would be struck by lightning, with no casualties.
In 2006 she would be de-activated as part of the force structure changes announced in the 2003 Defence Capability Review, however she would re-activate two months later. Upon reactivation she would move to Northern waters to combat illegal fishing in Australia’s EEZ as part of Operation Resolute. However by 2009 she would move back to HMAS Waterhen for her primary minehunting role.
In January 2011 she would partake in Operation Queensland Flood Assist, which was the largest humanitarian aid effort since Cyclone Tracy. This would involve Hyrdographic surveys of the Bay, searching for and clearing submerged debris which blocked the shipping lanes. This operation would be successful, ending in early February.
HMAS Huon entering Sydney Heads
In 2012 she would again visit the Solomon Islands, this would be for the 70th anniversary of the Battles of Guadalcanal and Savo Islands. During her stay here she would participate in Operation Solania, the RAN’s contribution to marine patrol in the area.
She would again move north to partake in Operation Resolute by September 2013, however she would partake in the International Fleet Review commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the RAN’s first Fleet in 1913. At the end of this, she would resume standard operations.
From November 2014 to February 2015, then from July to September 2015, she would again be part of Operation Resolute. Before in 2016 joining Operation Render Safe, where she would deactivate old WW2 explosives in the South Pacific, this would last through to 2019, where she would again partake in Operation Resolute from February to April 2023.
She would also visit many friendly nations to take part in exercises, training programs, and friendly competitions. This would include New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
She would be decommissioned on the 30th of May 2024, and is currently siting laid up at Sydney waiting for sale.
| General Characteristics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMAS Huon | |||||
| Country: Australia | |||||
| Type: Minesweeper | |||||
| Class name: Huon | |||||
| Year of commission: 1999 | |||||
| Refit: 1999 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 52.5 m (172 ft) | |||||
| Beam: 9.9 m (32 ft) | |||||
| Draught: 3 m (9.8 ft) | |||||
| Displacement: 732t | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: 1x GMT BL230-BN diesel motor, @ 1,985 bhp (1,480 kW) one screw, 3 × 120 hp (89 kW) azimuth thrusters | |||||
| Speed: 14kt on diesels, 6kt on thrusters | |||||
| Endurance: 1,600nmi @ 12kt | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: 40 | |||||
| Primary armament: 1x1 30mm Oerlikon KCB on DS30B system | |||||
| Secondary armament: 2x1 .50 M2 | |||||
| Tertiary armament: - nil | |||||
| Radar: Type 1007 Nav radar, | |||||
| Sonar: Type 2093M minehunting sonar | |||||
| Decoys and ECM: Super-barricade Chaff launchers, PRISM III ESM | |||||
| Other Systems: Acoustic Minesweeping Imaging, , 2x Mine Disposal ROVs |
HMAS Huon entering Nelson harbour, 2017
Sources:
https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2024/06/07/hmas-huon-sails-into-history/
https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/huon/?cf-view
Defence Materiel Organisation
https://seapower.navy.gov.au/history/units/hmas-huon-ii