On This Day
1976-1999 > Post Vietnam
On This Day - 1976-1999
- September 13, 1996
HMAS SWAN, (destroyer escort), was decommissioned at HMAS STIRLING, WA, after a career spanning 26 years. She was later gifted to the West Australian State Government, and sunk as a dive wreck in Geographe Bay
- July 27, 1996
The Collins class submarine HMAS COLLINS, (CMDR P. R. Sinclair, RAN), was commissioned. COLLINS was laid down in The Australian Submarine Corporation Yard, Adelaide, SA, and launched on 28 August 1993. Lady Phyllis Collins, (Wife of VADM Sir John Collins, KBE, CB, RAN, (deceased)), performed the launching ceremony.
- May 18, 1996
The ANZAC class guided missile frigate, HMAS ANZAC was commissioned. ANZAC was laid down at Tenix Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and launched on 16 September 1994. Lieutenant Colonel V. Statham, AO, MBE, ARRC, ED, FNM, performed the launching ceremony.
- May 13, 1996
HMAS ANZAC, (lead ship of the new ANZAC Class frigates), was commissioned at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC.
- January 31, 1996
The use of Morse key for sending messages formally ceased in the RAN after 85 years, to be replaced with modern communication systems. Visual Morse (or flashing light), however, still remains in use
- January 9, 1996
HMAS CANBERRA, (guided missile frigate), left Sydney to be permanently base-ported at HMAS STIRLING, WA.
- December 21, 1995
The badly damaged hulk of HMAS DERWENT was finally scuttled, by charges set by CDT 4, in deep water to the west of Rottnest Island, WA.
During the previous 10 weeks, the old ship had been subjected to a series of tests by DSTO staff, to observe the affect of bomb and shell damage on a warship. Due to the damage to the vessel she was sunk in very deep water to prevent divers attempting to dive on the wreck.
- December 1, 1995
HMAS OVENS, (Oberon class submarine), decommissioned at HMAS STIRLING, WA.
- October 24, 1995
The last of twenty Pacific patrol boats built in Australia for presentation to developing nations in the Pacific will have raised their new national flags. The PPB’s were built for Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomons, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, Micronesia, Kiribati and Tuvalu.
- April 13, 1995
RADM C. J. Oxenbould, AO, RAN, was appointed as Maritime Commander, Australia.