It was a treat today, Saturday 27th May 2006 seeing HMAS STUART entering the Waitemata Harbour, Auckland. NZ.
She was following HMNZS ENDEAVOUR
HMAS STUART (FFH153) is the third ship to bear the same name in the Royal Australian Navy and is the sixth ANZAC Class Guided Missile Frigate of MEKO 200 design to be built by Tenix Defence Systems at Williamstown.

STUART is a long-range escort capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. The ship can counter simultaneous threats from aircraft, surface vessels and submarines.


Laid Down: 25 July 1998
Launched: 17 April 1999
Commissioned: 17 August 2002
Displacement: 3600 tonnes
Length: 118 metres
Beam: 14.8 metres
Armament: 1 x 5 inch (127mm) Mk45 Mod 2 Automatic fire gun
Mk41 vertical launch system with the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile
2 x Mk32 Mod 5 triple mounted torpedo tubes
4 x 50 calibre (12.7mm) machine guns
Main Machinery: 1 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engine
2 x MTU 12V 1163 diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers
Speed: More than 27 knots
Ship’s Company: Approximately 170