Think of a navy ship launch and you probably envisage champagne bottles smashing against hulls, starched uniforms, and some sort of military band.

You don’t imagine women in lycra hotpants, crop tops and red berets twerking in front of veterans.

That is, not unless you were in Sydney on Saturday.

Footage has gone viral of the 101 Doll Squadron dance troupe performing at the launch of the navy’s $2billion warship the HMAS Supply.

But all is not quite as it appeared in national news coverage, Australian broadcaster ABC has been forced to admit.

It has apologised over its editing of the event, which suggested that the group shook their backsides in front of the navy’s top brass and other VIPs.

An ABC TV clip widely shared on social media appeared to show the chief of the defence force and governor general reacting to the dancers as they performed their energetic routine at the Garden Island naval base.

The defence force was criticised for sanctioning what was largely considered inappropriate entertainment, but it has since insisted that the dance was not part of the official naval ceremony.

And although governor general David Hurley was present at the event, he arrived after the dance show had ended, a spokesperson confirmed to 7News.com.au and other news outlets.