The
4100 tonne FFG HMAS Adelaide (CMDR Bruce Victor) will replace
HMAS Stuart (CMDR Phil Spedding) in The Gulf next month, the Defence
Minister, Senator Robert Hill said.
Senator Hill told of the changeover during an interview with Greg
Turnbull on Channel 10’s Meet the Press on Sunday, July 18.
The Minister told of Adelaide’s deployment when presenter
Turnbull asked him if there might be an increase of ADF personnel
in The Gulf and Iraq to more than 1000.
Turnbull said there are now about 880 in the region.
The Minister responded: “No, well, we work to an informal
ceiling of somewhere between about 920 and 950 and that simply
arose from a statement last year that we didn’t have an intention
of substantially increasing the force number, and, at that time,
the force was about that size.
“We will be - the Government has taken a decision to rotate
our ships.
“For example Stuart will be coming out next month replaced
by Adelaide.”
“Adelaide has a larger crew. The work those ships are doing
is still critically important.”
