Australia retires frigate HMAS Newcastle, replenishment ship HMAS Success

The frigate HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06). Photo c/o Coppermine Galleries.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) retired two of its ships in successive retirement ceremonies in their Fleet Base at Sydney’s Garden Island.

On 29 June 2019, the RAN retired the Durance-class replenishment ship HMAS Success (OR 304), after 33 years in service. She was considered to be the longest-serving ship in the fleet before her retirement and was commissioned into service in 1986.

The HMAS Success was the last major navy ship built in Sydney’s Cuckatoo Island. She will be replaced by the new replenishment ship NUSHIP Supply (future HMAS Supply), which is scheduled to be commissioned with the RAN in 2020.

Among her notable deployments include service during the Gulf War in 1991, and East Timor in 1999. She also participated in 11 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercises, as well as being involved in the search for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

The next day on 30 June 2019, the RAN also retired the last Adelaide-class (Oliver Hazard Perry-class) frigate in service, the HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06) after 25 years of service.

The frigate was commissioned in December 1993, and has steamed a total of around 815,000 nautical miles including deployments in operations in the Middle East 6 times, earning battle honors for service in East Timor, Persian Gulf and the Middle East, and peacekeeping operations in the Solomon Islands.

There were previous reports that the Chilean government was negotiating for the sale and transfer of the frigate, which will replace older Dutch-made frigates in service with the Chilean Navy.



[1] Australia Department of Defence
[2] Royal Australian Navy Daily
[3] Jane’s Defence Weekly