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Charles F Adams Class - Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG)

The RAN's American-built "Charles F. Adams" class guided-missiles destroyers were the first major Australian warships designed and built in America, and were constructed by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. The original complement of the Brisbane was 20 officers and over 300 sailors. Main armament was two 5-inch/54 calibre guns and anti-submarine torpedoes. The Ikara missile system was subsequently added. The Computer Set Control (CSC) is located in the Gun Plot Room. The CSC provides an input/output interface between the Data Processing Set (DPS) and other elements of the Gun Weapon System (GWS). Among the functions performed by the CSC are GWS operating mode selection, sub-mode selection, signal conversion, entry of data into the DPS, display of GWS parameters and DPS data, and monitoring GWS operational status.

The HMAS Perth was one of the Royal Australian Navy's finest war ships and was the class leader of the three Australian Destroyers built to the U.S. Charles F Adams design. The Guided Missile Destroyer was decommissioned from service in 1999 after a distinguished 34 year career. She had seen three deployments on active service in Vietnam during the late 1960's and early 1970's, including many other tours of duty to ports all around the world. She had steamed in excess of one million nautical miles during her career, and remains the only RAN ship to be hit by enemy fire in the last 50 years. Fortunately there were no casualties.

The HMAS Perth is 133 metres long (437 feet), has a beam of 14.3 metres (43 feet), a height of 46 metres (151 feet) and a displacement of 4900 tonnes. It was built in Michigan USA in 1962, and had a crew of 333 (21 officers and 312 sailors). The HMAS Perth was scuttled on 24th November 2001 in King George Sound, some 500 metres off Seal Rock in 38 metres of water. Her mast protrudes above the surface, and she still carries one of her original 5"/54 calibre single gun mounts.

HMAS Hobart was one of three guided missile destroyers built in the United States for the RAN. After commissioning at Boston Naval Shipyard on 18 December 1965, she continued fitting out and undertook sea trials and exercises, before sailing to Norfolk in January 1966. the ex-HMAS Hobart provided 35 years of proud naval service as part of Australia's defence force. Regarded as one of the last true destroyers, the HMAS Hobart was nicknamed the 'Green Ghost' for its reputation as a quiet vessel during its three tours of Vietnam in 1967,68 and 70. In 1968, two sailors lost their lives and seven others were injured after the vessel was hit by "friendly" fire. In 1988 HMAS Hobart participated in the Hobart Bicentennial Australia Day Celebrations.

In February 2000, the ship paid her last visit to her namesake city, Hobart, and in March was deployed to New Zealand and the South West Pacific for the last time. She visited Auckland, Nelson, Suva and Port Vila. On her return to Australia, she called at Mackay and Geelong before her final return to Sydney. On 12 May 2000 Hobart was decommissioned following 34 years of service. Among the guests present at the ceremony was Lady Hay, who launched the ship. Hobart was later sunk as dive wreck on the South Australian coast, in Yankalilla Bay, on the Southern Fleurieu Penninsular.

HMAS Brisbane II was the last steam powered ship in the RAN. Known officially as DDG-41, the Brisbane was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in December 1967 and was the second vessel of that name to serve in the RAN and the third of the Charles F Adams Class DDG, Guided Missile Destroyers. The HMAS Brisbane [II] had a long history of distinguished service in the Australian Navy. In its 34 years of service, served in both the Vietnam and Gulf wars. The ship was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in 1967 and was decommissioned in 2001. In later service the ship was known by the nick-name 'the Steel Cat'. The HMAS Brisbane saw operational service in two conflicts.

During the Vietnam War the ship undertook two tours of duty with the United States Seventh Fleet, in 1969 and again in 1971. The ship's major task was to provide gunfire support for the land campaign. During the Gulf War (1990-91), Brisbane was one of four Australian warships to serve a tour in Gulf waters. The Brisbane arrived in the Gulf in December 1990 and operated there until March 1991, performing a number of roles. Apart from contributing to the anti-aircraft defences in the carrier screen, the ship also kept watch for mines and ensured that small civilian craft kept well away from the carrier group. Later, during Operation Desert Storm, the Brisbane controlled fighter combat air patrols and tanker aircraft. The ship's final role was as an escort for US replenishment ships.

HMAS Brisbane had a fire in its forward 5 inch gun turret at approximately 9.00 a.m. Saturday 07 August 1999 while 200km south west of Darwin. The fire was extinguished immediately and there were no injuries. Five crew members suffered minor smoke inhalation and were treated by the ship's medical staff. The fire is believed to have resulted from a failure in a 5 inch cartridge case as it was being fired during an anti-aircraft firing practice against a towed target. An investigation into the cause of the fire was launched, and the ship's engineering staff assessed the extent of the damage and repair requirements for the gun mount.

In January 2003, the Queensland Government agreed to accept the decommissioned HMAS Brisbane from the Commonwealth Government for sinking off the Sunshine Coast as an artificial reef and dive site. HMAS Brisbane is teh fourth former warship to be scuttled as a dive wreck in Australia, following HMAS Swan and HMAS Perth in Western Australia and HMAS Hobart in South Australia. On Friday, 16 July 2004, at about 11.30 am HMAS Brisbane departed Sydney Harbour for the last time. This proud decommissioned ship will be towed to Brisbane to finish her life as a reef for divers and marine life. HMAS Brisbane is now the property of the Queensland Government. The ex-Australian Navy ship HMAS Brisbane was scuttled off the Sunshine Coast on 31 July 2005 to create an artificial reef and to provide world-class diving opportunities on a large warship in South-East Queensland. The ex-HMAS Brisbane, now under 28 meters of water, is a growing artificial reef and a world-class dive site that is fast becoming one of Australia's premier wreck dive destinations. The study of the ex-HMAS Brisbane artificial dive site commissioned by the Department of Environment and Resource Management confirms the high diversity of marine life that has colonised the wreck since its sinking in July 2005. The research was conducted by scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast and Queensland Museum and shows conclusively that the wreck of the ex-HMAS Brisbane is fast becoming a well colonised and visited artificial reef.