Portal:Military history of Australia/Units/August 4

HMAS Balikpapan during an exercise in 2007

HMAS Balikpapan (L 126) was the lead ship of the Balikpapan class of heavy landing craft and is currently in service with the Royal Australian Navy. She was built at Maryborough, Queensland and was commissioned into the Australian Army's water transport force in December 1971. She transferred to the RAN in September 1974. HMAS Balikpapan first saw active service in 1999 when she formed part of the International Force for East Timor and later UNTAET. She completed several deployments to East Timor between 1999 and 2001 and returned to East Timor in 2006 during Operation Astute. The vessel was retired from Australian service in 2012 and was transferred to the Philippines.