Perth Class
Three Australian destroyers built to the Adams design — farewell to steam in the Royal Australian Navy.
October 1999 saw the beginning of the close of a chapter in Royal Australian Navy history when HMAS Perth was decommissioned after thirty-four years and over a million nautical miles. Perth was class leader of three Australian destroyers built to the United States Charles F. Adams class design—the last steam-powered fighting ships to serve with the RAN.
Australian planners chose the Adams package over the British County class for the proven Tartar missile system and conventional steam turbines. Contracts with Defoe Shipbuilding of Bay City, Michigan produced Perth, Hobart, and Brisbane—modified with Ikara anti-submarine systems and identified separately as the Perth class.
Soon after commissioning they saw action in Vietnam with the U.S. Seventh Fleet on the gunline and Operation Sea Dragon. They later proved themselves again in the Persian Gulf. Compatible with United States equipment, they marked the strengthening of the North American alliance and Australia's graduation into the age of guided missiles.
Adapted from “Farewell to Steam” by Robin Clark, preserving the association archive narrative.