The Hobart-class air warfare destroyer is Australia's three-ship Aegis-equipped guided-missile destroyer class, adapted from Navantia's F100 design and built in Australia by the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance. Its public record is strongest as a fleet air-defense, escort, surface-strike, and undersea-warfare platform: the class combines AN/SPY-1D(V), Aegis Baseline 7.1, SM-2, ESSM, Harpoon, helicopter facilities, torpedoes, and a 48-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system, with later Australian test firings adding Naval Strike Missile, SM-6, and Tomahawk integration context.
Exact model: Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer, fitted with the Aegis combat system. Australian official and naval sources document trials, exercises, sanctions monitoring, and regional deployments, but not confirmed armed-conflict employment.
The Hobart class is built around Aegis-controlled area air defence and a mixed shipboard missile suite, with later Australian test firings documenting added long-range strike and missile-defence weapons.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Shipboard combat system | The Royal Australian Navy says Hobart-class DDGs are fitted with the Aegis Combat System. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Surface-to-air missile | The Royal Australian Navy says the Aegis Combat System on Hobart-class DDGs uses the SM-2 missile to engage aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150 km. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Ship self-defense missile | The Royal Australian Navy lists the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile among the Hobart-class Mk 41 VLS missile fit. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Anti-ship missile | The Royal Australian Navy lists advanced Harpoon missiles in two quad launchers on the Hobart-class fit. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Naval gun | The Royal Australian Navy identifies the Hobart-class main gun as a 5-inch Mark 45 62-calibre gun. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Shipboard helicopter | The Royal Australian Navy lists one MH-60R Seahawk as the Hobart-class embarked helicopter. Sources: HMAS Hobart (III) |
 | Extended-range air and missile defense missile | Australia announced an HMAS Sydney SM-6 firing in 2024 and said SM-6 would be progressively deployed across Hobart-class destroyers. |
 | Land-attack cruise missile | Australia announced that HMAS Brisbane fired a Tomahawk missile in 2024 and that acquired Tomahawks would be deployed in Hobart-class destroyers. Sources: Navy conducts successful firing of Tomahawk cruise missile |
The Royal Australian Navy says HMAS Hobart was laid down on 6 September 2012.
Sources: HMAS Hobart (III)
The Navy says Hobart was launched on 23 May 2015.
Sources: HMAS Hobart (III)
Defence marked provisional acceptance of the first Air Warfare Destroyer at Osborne Naval Shipyard.
Sources: Defence accepts delivery of first Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart
The Navy commissioned HMAS Hobart on 23 September 2017, bringing the first ship of the class into service.
Sources: HMAS Hobart (III)
The Sea Power Centre records HMAS Brisbane as the second Hobart-class guided-missile destroyer and gives its commissioning date as 27 October 2018.
Sources: HMAS Brisbane (III)
The Defence Ministers office said HMAS Hobart became the first Hobart-class destroyer to fire a missile in Australian waters when it launched an SM-2 during trials off New South Wales.
Sources: HMAS Hobart strikes in Australian-first missile firing
The Sea Power Centre records HMAS Sydney as the third and final Hobart-class guided-missile destroyer and gives its commissioning date as 18 May 2020.
Sources: HMAS Sydney (V)
U.S. Third Fleet reported that HMAS Hobart fired an SM-2 Standard Missile against an unmanned target during RIMPAC 2020.
Sources: HMAS Hobart successfully fires missile during its first RIMPAC
Defence said the Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers reached final operational capability after HMAS Sydney completed test and evaluation off the United States and Canada.
Sources: Advanced warships ready for operations
The Defence Ministers office said Hobart-class destroyer HMAS Sydney conducted a Naval Strike Missile firing during Exercise RIMPAC 2024 as part of enhanced surface-combatant strike integration.
Sources: Navy conducts successful firing of Naval Strike Missile
Australia announced that HMAS Sydney had conducted a Standard Missile 6 firing near Hawaii and that SM-6 would be progressively deployed across Hobart-class destroyers.
Sources: Navy conducts firing of Standard Missile 6
The Australian Government announced a $7 billion acquisition of SM-2 Block IIIC and SM-6 missiles for Hobart-class destroyers and future Hunter-class frigates.
Sources: Safeguarding Australians with boost to air and missile defence
HMAS Brisbane, a Hobart-class destroyer, fired a Tomahawk missile off the west coast of the United States during test and evaluation activity.
Sources: Navy conducts successful firing of Tomahawk cruise missile
