HMAS Stuart is an Anzac-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She was built at Williamstown in Victoria, and commissioned into the RAN in 2002. The frigate is operational as of 2021.
HMAS Stuart in 2014
Stuart arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 2006 shortly before participating in that year's RIMPAC training exercise
The Anzac class is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). During the 1980s, the RAN began plans to replace the River-class destroyer escorts with a mid-capability patrol frigate and settled on the idea of modifying a proven German design for Australian conditions. Around the same time, the RNZN was seeking to replace their Leander-class frigates while maintaining blue-water capabilities. A souring of relations between New Zealand and the United States of America in relation to New Zealand's nuclear-free zone and the ANZUS security treaty prompted New Zealand to seek improved ties with other nations, particularly Australia. As both nations were seeking warships of similar capabilities, the decision was made in 1987 to collaborate on their acquisition. The project name is taken from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of the First World War.
HMAS Ballarat in 2016.
HMA Ships Torrens (foreground) and Yarra exercising; two of the River-class destroyer escorts the RAN was looking to replace. The Leander-class frigates the RNZN were retiring were of a similar design, with both classes based on the British Type 12 frigate.
The Portuguese frigate NRP Corte Real. The MEKO 200 variant designed for the Portuguese was the basis of Blohm + Voss and AMECON's successful proposal.
HMNZS Te Kaha in 2017