This photo and below: Ship’s company of HMAS Anzac celebrate her 10th year since launch by forming the number 10 on her flight deck.

Photos: LS Brad Fullerton

It is now 10 years since HMAS Anzac, the first of 10 frigates of her class, was launched.

In those 10 years hasn’t she done some work?

She has close to 300,000 nautical miles on the clock and has had outstanding success in The Gulf.

More recently, CAPT Richard Menhinick and his ship’s company plucked 15 men from the sea after their inter-island trader sank off Indonesia.

Since then, the 3,400 tonne warship has taken part in Bersama Lima, an exercise off Singapore involving Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and New Zealand.

The exercise was part of Australia’s commitment to the Five Power Defence Arrangement.

Anzac continues to operate in South-East Asian waters.

During her Bersama Lima commitment an aircraft took this image of Anzac underway and with some of her ship’s company forming a large 10 on the flight deck.

The ship was launched at the Tenix shipyard in Williamstown, Melbourne on September 16, 1994.

She was officially named by LTCOL Vivian Statham (nee Bullwinkle a heroic nurse from WWII).

Contracts with Tenix call for a total of 10 ships, eight for the RAN and two for the RNZN. The final ship, HMAS Perth, is due to enter service in 2006.

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