The two "landing helicopter docks" (LHDs), which have a combined cost well in excess of $2 billion, represent a major escalation in the amphibious lift capability of the Australian Defence Force.
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They may even, if recent comments by Defence Minister Senator David Johnston bear fruit, one day launch short takeoff and landing F-35B stealth fighter bombers into combat.
NUSHIP Canberra, which will be redesignated HMAS Canberra at the commissioning ceremony, has been under construction for almost six years. Hundreds of workers crowded the wharf when she finally put to sea on Wednesday.
Work on her 230.8-metre-long hull began in Spain in late 2008. The hull was launched in early 2011 and arrived in Australia aboard a heavy lift ship in October 2012 after two months at sea. BAE staff then fabricated the massive superstructure, fitted it to the hull and carried out the final fit out.
Although the LHDs are transporters, they can defend themselves from enemy attack with advanced weaponry and defensive systems. These include remote-operated 25mm Rafael Typhoon weapons systems, 12.7mm-calibre machine guns and torpedo and missile decoys.
Canberra and Adelaide are the largest ships built for the Royal Australian Navy, coming in at almost 20 metres longer than our previous aircraft carriers, HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney.
Because of the different roles, the crew complements on the new ships are much smaller however. While the Melbourne and the Sydney sailed with between 1100 and 1300 crew, the Canberra gets by with 358. Of these, 293 are navy, 62 are army and just three are RAAF.
The naval equivalent of a super-sized people mover, the two LHDs are intended to get more than 1000 warfighters and all their equipment from A to B in the shortest time.
They can also be deployed as floating hospitals and command and control centres in response to humanitarian emergencies such as the Boxing Day tsunami, cyclones, earthquakes and other emergencies.
The first HMAS Canberra, a heavy cruiser, was scuttled following the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942. She had been in service since 1928.
The second Canberra, named in honour of the first on the orders of President Roosevelt, was an American cruiser that saw service with the US Navy from 1943 to 1970.
The third warship to carry the name was a guided missile frigate that served with the RAN from 1981 to 2005.
