The ship Sydney was handed over by the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, which includes the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia, ASC Shipbuilding and Navantia Australia, at a ceremony in Adelaide on Friday.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the event marked the end of the destroyer construction program and a major milestone in the government's defence shipbuilding program.

"I congratulate the 5000 workers who have worked directly on this program over the past decade, from the design phase through to the construction, integration and delivery of these magnificent ships," she said.

"The significance of this success cannot be understated and is reflected in the truly world-class capability of these warships, and the naval shipbuilding and combat system integration skills that have been developed at Osborne."

The Sydney will now sail to her home port at Garden Island and once commissioned later this year, will join HMAS Hobart and HMAS Brisbane to complete the navy's new fleet of its most capable warships.

Like the Hobart and the Brisbane, the Sydney has a range of about 9000km and a top speed of about 28 knots.

The destroyers have decoy technology and carry harpoon missiles.

The 146-metre ships, which operate with a crew of 186, are powered by a combination of gas and diesel turbines with twin propellers.

The HMAS Hobart was launched in Adelaide in 2015 and commissioned in late 2017.

The Brisbane was launched in 2016 and commissioned in late 2018.

Australian Associated Press