Second Helicopter Carrier En Route to Australia

On Tuesday, the Australian Department of Defence confirmed that the hull of its second, and last, of its two new aircraft carriers has departed its shipyard in Spain and is en route to Australia for completion.

The carrier, specifically a Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Dock to be christened HMAS Adelaide (LHD02), is described as one of "the largest ships ever built for the [Australian] Navy and will provide the Australian Defence Force with one of the most capable and sophisticated amphibious deployment capabilities in the world."

Weighing in at 27,800 tons displacement, Adelaide is somewhat larger than the new class of helicopter destroyers, that Japan is building, and that China has accused of being aircraft carriers in disguise.

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