Lloyd’s Register Asia has signed a contract to provide classification services for the design study phase of the Royal Australian Navy’s air warfare destroyer (AWD) project. This project will deliver a new class of at least three ships capable of air defence, with entry into service expected to take place in 2013. The ships will provide a significant enhancement to the Royal Australia Navy’s air defence capability and will include the AEGIS combat system with helicopter, gun and vertically launched missile weapon systems. They will be the first combat ships for the Royal Australian Navy to be designed and constructed to a classification society’s Rules.