HMAS Canberra, a 27,000-tonne landing helicopter dock (LHD), was commissioned Friday, providing the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with one of the world's most capable and sophisticated amphibious assault ships, Defence Minister David Johnston said.
According to a press release issued by the Department of Defense, Johnston made the remarks at the commissioning ceremony held at Garden Island, Sydney.
The defence minister said HMAS Canberra was the largest warship ever built for the RAN, and its introduction to the RAN fleet marked a "very proud day for the men and women serving in the senior service".
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the ceremony said, "HMAS Canberra is our largest ever warship... She can also be deployed for humanitarian assistance if disaster strikes our region."
HMAS Canberra is the first of two LHDs, a collaboration between the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), Spanish shipbuilder Navantia and BAE Systems. The second LHD, NUSHIP Adelaide, is planned to be commissioned in 2016, according Xinhua.
The warship will be jointly crewed with personnel from the navy, army and air force.
Both warships have state-of-the-art medical facilities, including operating theatres, an eight-bed critical care unit, a variety of wards, pathology and radiology services, an X-ray machine, pharmacy and dental facilities.
HMAS Canberra has deck space for six medium-size helicopters such as the MRH 90 Taipan or Black Hawk, and can support a mix of helicopter operations ranging from the smaller Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter through to the much larger CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter.
