RAN’s frigate HMAS Toowoomba fires an ESSM during a workup period off the coast of Western Australia. Credit: Royal Australian Navy/© Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence.

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) fifth Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba has successfully carried out the test launch of an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

The missile was test fired during a recent training exercise conducted off the coast of Western Australia.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

It marks the first time HMAS Toowoomba launched an ESSM after the receiving upgrades under the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Programme (AMCAP).

Through the latest activity, the RAN assessed and validated the performance and capability of Toowoomba’s onboard combat systems. It also ensured the operational readiness of the Anzac-class warship.

HMAS Toowoomba weapons electrical engineering officer lieutenant commander Kieran Davis said: “The purpose of Toowoomba’s ESSM firing was to verify combat system performance in the detection, tracking and engagement of manoeuvrable targets at the sea.

See Also:

“The safe and successful execution of this firing involved synchronisation from many parts of ship, including the weapons electrical department, combat systems operators, warfare officers and the navigation team.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“Thanks to the combined efforts of ship’s company, we were able to effectively fire an ESSM and intercept the intended target.”

Toowoomba’s 18-month long upgrade programme, which was completed in April last year, primarily provided the required out-of-water maintenance as well as capability upgrades to various systems of the ship, including radar system and communication systems.

HMAS Toowoomba was one of the five Anzac-class frigates to receive AMCAP upgrades to enhance the overall capability of the RAN fleet.

Similar mid-life capability upgrade programme for HMAS Arunta was completed in June 2019. It was the first ship to complete AMCAP.

Arunta also underwent ESSM missile launch training exercise in March 2020, a few months after it completed the upgrade programme.