HMAS Adelaide (III)

While her sister ship often serves as the command hub for high-end warfare exercises, HMAS Adelaide (L01) has carved out a unique identity as Australia's premier Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) platform. She is arguably the most "culturally unique" ship in the fleet, carrying a centuries-old baby's caul—a traditional maritime talisman donated by a former crew member—believed to protect the ship from sinking. Operationally, Adelaide led the massive Operation Bushfire Assist (2020), evacuating over 1,100 civilians from isolated coastal towns. She also holds a distinct procurement milestone as the first Australian LHD to prove the "Total Logistics" concept, successfully deploying a full battle group of M1A1 Abrams tanks via her integrated well-dock landing craft.

The Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHD) represent the largest vessels ever operated by the Royal Australian Navy, providing a quantum leap in the nation’s amphibious and power-projection capabilities. Derived from Navantia’s Strategic Projection Ship (Juan Carlos I) design for the Spanish Navy, the two ships—HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide—feature a distinctive "ski jump" ramp and a massive flight deck. These sophisticated platforms are designed to transport and deploy over 1,000 embarked troops, along with their vehicles and equipment, via landing craft or heavy-lift helicopters. Beyond their primary role in amphibious warfare, their integrated hospital facilities and vast internal cargo space make them the cornerstone of Australia’s regional disaster relief and humanitarian response strategy.