Through the ceremony, leaders and distinguished friends from the U.S. and Australia wished the crew of Canberra honest winds and following seas as they introduced the ship to life and commenced its commissioned service.
Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, delivered the commissioning ceremony’s principal handle. The ceremony additionally featured remarks from His Excellency Common the Honourable David Hurley, AC, DSC, Governor-Common of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honorable Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Adm. Michael Gilday, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, Royal Australian Chief of Navy, and Mr. Larry Ryder, Vice President of Enterprise Improvement and Authorities Affairs, Austal USA. The commissioning caps a weeklong sequence of occasions celebrating the ship and its namesake metropolis. Through the ceremony, Canberra’s commanding officer Cmdr. Will Ashley, reported the ship prepared, and ship sponsor, Honourable Marise Payne, the previous Australian Minister of International Affairs, gave the standard order to “Man our ship and convey her to life!”
“This actually is an important day for our fleet and our nation to be right here with you in Australia, one in every of our closest allies, to rejoice the commissioning of our Navy’s latest warship that’s destined to serve all through the Indo-Pacific area,” mentioned Del Toro. “I’m assured that wherever USS Canberra is crusing, and no matter challenges her crew could face, they’re prepared, as strengthened by this warship’s motto — ‘Can Do!'”
Canberra departed its homeport of Naval Base San Diego for the primary U.S. Navy ceremonial commissioning in Australia on June 13, visiting American Samoa and the Pacific Island Nation of Fiji previous to its arrival in Sydney for commissioning. Independence-variant littoral fight ships USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Manchester (LCS 14), USS Oakland (LCS 24), and USS Cellular (LCS 26) are additionally working within the Indo-Pacific.
“Immediately marks a proud second which our Royal Australian Navy is privileged to share alongside our allies and buddies in the US Navy,” mentioned Australian Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. “The connection between our navies, solid in battle through the Second World Warfare, is mirrored within the title USS Canberra.”
Earlier within the week, Sailors from USS Canberra engaged in sporting occasions, shared meals, and exchanged ship excursions with the crew of HMAS Canberra. The crew additionally participated in group relations occasions like a seaside clean-up with the Taronga zoo.
Crewmembers are additionally honored to go to their namesake metropolis, Canberra, for a Freedom of Entry march on July 23. The U.S. Navy has a powerful custom of growing relationships between a ship and their namesake group or household, establishing these enduring ties in the beginning of Canberra’s service will strengthen bonds between the ship and the individuals of Canberra. This custom dates to medieval instances and is the very best accolade bestowed by a city or metropolis upon a gaggle or particular person as a mirrored image of belief and confidence held by the residents. Canberra is acknowledged as a terrific progressive, artistic, and inventive metropolis and is likely one of the world’s most livable cities.
Canberra is the second U.S. Navy ship named for Australia’s capital. The primary, a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser, was renamed from Pittsburgh to Canberra on October 16, 1942, and was commissioned on October 14, 1943. It was named in honor of the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra, which was misplaced on the Battle of Savo Island in World Warfare II. The ship was decommissioned on February 2, 1970, and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on July 31, 1978.
Independence-variant littoral fight ships are quick, optimally manned, mission-tailored floor combatants that function in near-shore and open-ocean environments, successful in opposition to Twenty first-century coastal threats. LCS combine with joint mixed, manned and unmanned groups to assist ahead presence, maritime safety, sea management, and deterrence missions across the globe.
For extra information from Commander, Littoral Fight Ship Squadron One, go to https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or observe on Fb at www.fb.com/COMLCSRONONE/.
