GARDEN ISLAND, Australia, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The Royal Australian Navy has announced its frigate HMAS Sydney has set off for North America to complete functionality testing.
Officials say the Sydney deployed from Australia's Garden Island Fleet Base Tuesday morning. As part of the Adelaide Class Frigate Upgrade, the RAN deployed the HMAS Sydney to complete its testing of functionality, according to the Australian Ministry of Defense.
While en route to the North American mainland, the Sydney will make a stop in Hawaii to test fire Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile at the Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility in an effort to demonstrate the recently installed MK41 Vertical Launch system and the integration of the Baseline Build Two Combat System software as part of Adelaide Class Frigate Upgrade.
Additionally, the Sydney will conduct underwater trials of the recently installed Torpedo Decoy System using facilities at Nanoose Bay, Vancouver.
Officials say the deployment is also an opportunity to renew the strategic and longstanding relationship with the United States and Canada through port visits to Pearl Harbor, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco and San Diego.
The Sydney's deployment to North America is its first visit to the mainland since its launch in September 1980.
