Defence, the Australian government department, has decided to call time on the amphibious ship HMAS Kanimbla due to concerns over her seaworthiness. The decision to decommission was made following an assessment of her materiel state after the ship was withdrawn from the frontline in September 2010. The navy’s initial intention was to carry out necessary repairs to keep the ship available until the introduction of a new class of assault ships in 2014. However, this has been deemed uneconomical given the vessel’s remaining planned life, with the extensive remediation work required estimated to cost A$35 million.
The government’s concern at having to risk another gap in capability will have been eased by the rapid acquisition of HMAS Choules.
