AUSTRALIA'S new large amphibious landing helicopter dock (LHD) ship will give the navy an unprecedented ability to operate on land and sea, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.
Speaking at a ceremony in Melbourne to name the first of two LHDs on Friday, Ms Gillard noted it was the 71st anniversary of the surrender of Singapore.
That event sent a clear message for other island nations - like Australia - that "the best defence is self defence," she said.
The new vessel is named Canberra, and her sister ship will be called Adelaide.
At 27,500 tonnes, these will be the largest ships ever to serve in the Australian navy - even bigger than Australia's last aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne - and were acquired at a cost of more than $2 billion.
Each will be able to transport an entire combined arms battle group of more than 1100 personnel, 100 armoured vehicles and 12 helicopters.
"The Canberra and her sister Landing Helicopter Dock ship will give our Navy, and our Defence Force as a whole, an entirely new ability to defend Australia and our interests," Ms Gillard said.
"They will give our defence force an unprecedented ability to exercise and operate on land and sea - supporting amphibious operations and operating independently in our region and beyond like never before."
The naming ceremony was conducted at Melbourne's Williamstown dockyard where the Canberra vessel is now being fitted out after the long voyage from her construction site in Spain.
Navy chief Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said the LHDs would transform the navy and the Australian Defence Force.
"This ship will give the government options from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief at one end of the spectrum through to stabilisation and peacekeeping operations and right through if needed to combat operations," he said.
Naming the ship was made by Mrs Vickie Coates, widow of Rear Admiral Nigel Coates who was the commander of the last HMAS Canberra, which was decommissioned in 2005.
"I name this ship Canberra. May God bless her and all who serve in her," she said, to a wave of applause and three cheers from a large contingent of VIPs and dock workers aboard the ship.
The LHD will be the third vessel to carry the name.
The first HMAS Canberra sank at the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942.
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