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HISTORY
HMAS
Warramunga (FFH 152) is an Anzac class frigate of the Royal
Australian Navy (RAN).
Operational history
Warramunga was deployed to Christmas Island as part of Operation
Relex II (from 2001 to 2005) in a border protection role, the
Southern Ocean as part of Operation Celesta in a successful
fisheries protection role (2004), and to Hawaii and the South West
Pacific in 2003.
Warramunga was the first Australian warship to fire the Evolved Sea
Sparrow Missile (ESSM) in 2003.
On 31 July 2006, Warramunga departed Fleet Base West for her first
deployment to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Catalyst, taking
over duties from HMAS Ballarat. While on station in the Gulf,
Warramunga conducted 150 boardings and security patrols, 320 flying
hours were logged by her embarked Seahawk helicopter, and 450
investigative queries of merchant vessels were made. Warramunga
returned to Fremantle on 2 February 2007 after 186 days at sea.
On 29 May 2009, it was announced that Warramunga would be re-tasked
with protecting civilian vessels from piracy in Somali waters.[20]
The ship was assigned to Combined Task Force 151, which was tasked
with preventing pirate attacks on commercial vessels in the shipping
lanes off the Horn of Africa and Somalia.
During July and August 2010, Warramunga was one of three RAN ships
to participate in the RIMPAC 2010 multinational exercise. During
RIMPAC, the frigate participated in the sinking of the
decommissioned amphibious assault ship USS New Orleans, firing
several rounds from her main gun.
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