Australia trials Canberra class' ability to embark armoured vehicles

An Australian Army M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tank, seen here embarking on HMAS Adelaide during sea transportability trials at the Port of Townsville, Queensland, on 4 September 2025. (Australia Department of Defence)

The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) second Canberra-class amphibious assault ship HMAS Adelaide has embarked the Australian Army's M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, Block II Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles, and combat engineering vehicles for the first time.

It is the first known trials of such an embarkation since the Canberra-class vessels were first commissioned by the RAN more than a decade ago.

The trials, conducted at the Port of Townsville, tested the sea transportability of these land combat platforms, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said in a statement released on 26 September.

It marks a significant milestone in the development of Australia's littoral capability and paves the way for the vehicles to achieve their operational capability, the department added.

Capability Colonel Ben Shepherd of the DoD's Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) also described the milestone as critical in ensuring that the Australian Army's land combat systems are adaptable to the country's strategic environment.

“Testing their integration and mobility with the navy's LHDs [landing helicopter docks] demonstrates that we can move these vehicles rapidly and safely into areas where our forces are needed most,” the colonel said in the statement issued by the DoD.

Adelaide is one of two Canberra-class ships operated by the RAN, and it was commissioned in December 2015. Lead vessel HMAS Canberra was inducted into service in November 2014.

The class has a full load displacement of approximately 27,500 tonnes and is designed to carry a substantial land force and support amphibious operations.