The Adelaide-class frigates (and their very close US cousins, the Oliver Hazzard-Perry-class were very nimble ships but almost indestructible. Below is a video showing one from the US Navy being smashed by the US, Australia and South Korea in a naval exercise.

Thanks for posting my photos Brad. I have added some comments to that post.
Your video shows we got a good ship even if apparently the US Navy didn't think so.

At the time, I think the US navy was turning away from frigates to maintain a larger fleet of multi-role destroyers. They are probably kicking themselves now, given that China has overtaken them in fleet size. As far as I know, the only frigates from this class that are still in active service are ex-HMAS Melbourne and ex-HMAS Newcastle, both of which are commissioned in the Chilean Navy.

Thanks Tallar Carl for this well documented contribution from your navy friend.

There was always something smelly about the way the tender for new subs proceeded.

T. Abbott favoured Jap subs. His mission was to get us value and reliability. But plotters were at work scheming against him.

One of the plotters was in charge of the tender process. Another, the chief plotter, did everything possible (still doing so) to
rip the guts out of his own party.

When Australia voted, the plotters failed and quietly disbanded. One landed himself a good job with a private defence company, coincidently.

After reading your friend's report it would seem T. Abbott was correct.

I sorta wonder at the retired Navy sometimes. We had an ex Navy guy in our car club pass away from grief. When I was doing a eulogy I looked at the ship he served on and the insignature of the ships compliment (or whatever) only to realise it has the wrong ship?

Maybe Australia wanted subs from America, as all the controls and manuals are written in English, not French.

Not quite. They'd already dealt with that matter. The combat system for the Attack-class subs was going to be US-based and use US-designed torpedos and missiles, as per the current Collins-class subs. The French input was to mainly deal with hull design and propulsion.