HMAS Canberra (III)

As the lead ship of the class and the current Fleet Flagship of the Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Canberra (L02) holds the distinction of being the largest vessel ever operated by Australia. Procurement was a unique international hybrid, with the hull built by Navantia in Spain before being transported via a massive heavy-lift ship to BAE Systems in Williamstown for outfitting. Historically, she served as the class’s "evaluator," famously validating interoperability with the U.S. military by "cross-decking" massive CH-53E Super Stallions and MV-22 Ospreys during RIMPAC 2016. Despite being the first ship built, she carries the pennant L02 to maintain a historical numbering link with the previous Adelaide-class frigates.

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.