"Adelaide" was laid down to the "Oliver Hazard Perry" class' Flight I design at Todd Pacific Shipyards at Seattle on 29 July 1977, launched on 21 June 1978 by Lady Ann Synnot (wife of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sir Anthony Synnot), and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 15 November 1980. During construction, she was identified with the United States Navy hull number FFG-17. A total of four "Adelaide"-class ships were constructed by Todd Pacific, with a further two built by Australian shipbuilder AMECON.