During routine training operations off the coast of Western Australia, the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba spectacularly reached a significant new benchmark.
Upon finishing the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP), Toowoomba became the first base in Australia to fire an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) successfully.
Lieutenant Commander Kieran Davis, who is in charge of weapons electrical engineering at Toowoomba, stated that it was essential to ensure that operational readiness was maintained.
According to him, “Toowoomba’s ESSM firing aimed to evaluate combat system performance in the detection, tracking, and engagement of manoeuvrable targets at sea,” and he went on to explain that this was the mission of the firing.
“The synchronization of efforts from several different departments across the ship was necessary for the safe and successful execution of this fire. These departments included the weapons electrical department, combat systems operators, warfare officers, and the navigation team.
Because of the concerted efforts of the ship’s crew, we were able to successfully fire an ESSM and intercept the target we had in mind.
Toowoomba finished the 18-month AMCAP upgrade in April 2022. This upgrade includes significant capability upgrades to radar, communication, and platform systems and out-of-water maintenance while the ship was docked.
Toowoomba is one of five Anzac-class frigates that have successfully undergone and completed the AMCAP upgrade. This provides the Navy’s fleet with increased capability.
