HMAS Hobart fires a round from its Mk 45 Mod 6 5in gun during test firing off the east coast of Australia. Credit: Royal Australian Navy.

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Hobart-class air warfare destroyer (AWD), HMAS Hobart (DDG-39), has successfully tested its 20mm close-in weapons system (CIWS).

The destroyer used its CIWS for the first time to hit an inflatable surface target during the trial exercise.

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HMAS Hobart’s CIWS is noted to be capable of hitting both air and surface targets.

A naval gunfire exercise was also conducted, which saw the vessel’s 5in main gun evaluated from different distances and directions against a towed target.

"Many of the things we have achieved for the first time these past several weeks will be daily requirements of this ship over decades to come."

Two practice delivery torpedoes were fired from the port and starboard tubes respectively as part of the exercise.

Both torpedoes were subsequently recovered by the Australian Navy’s Surface Forces branch for analysis.

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The destroyer also successfully completed several other evaluations for the first time during the trial programme, including replenishment at sea with the RAN’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Anzac and a deepwater anchor in the waters off Jervis Bay.

RAN commanding officer captain John Stavridis said: “HMAS Hobart is an outstanding warship that is up to the rigours that come with a busy tempo.

“Many of the things we have achieved for the first time these past several weeks will be daily requirements of this ship over decades to come, and we’ve shown we are a guided missile destroyer with a ruthlessly professional crew that gets the job done.”

The Australian Department of Defence initially accepted the delivery of HMAS Hobart AWD in June last year at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.

The vessel represents the first of three destroyers currently being constructed by the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, which comprises the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia and ASC, along with support from Navantia.