The HMAS Sydney is scheduled to replace two other Australian warships which had been serving in the Gulf before the war erupted late last month as part of efforts to enforce UN sanctions on Iraq.

Those two ships, the HMAS Anzac and HMAS Darwin, are due to return to Australia next month. A third, the HMAS Kanimbla, is still taking part in mine-clearing operations near the southern Iraq port of Umm Qasr.

Prime Minister John Howard, Defense Minister Robert Hill and armed forces chief General Peter Cosgrove will attend a farewell ceremony for the HMAS Sydney here on Tuesday, the defense ministry announced.

"HMAS Sydney will join HMAS Kanimbla in the Persian Gulf and both vessels will continue to contribute to maritime security in one of the world's most vital waterways," Hill said in a statement.

The Sydney is designed for long-range escort duty and normally carries Standard anti-aircraft missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

SPACE.WIRE