Projects
SEA 1444 - Armidale Class Patrol Boat
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Current Status Delivery and Commissioning Dates Armidale Class Patrol Boats Contact |
Current Status of the Project
On 17 December 2003 a contract was awarded to Defence Maritime Services Pty Ltd for the Armidale class patrol boat with construction undertaken by Austal Ships at its Henderson yard near Fremantle, Western Australia. The $553m contract was for the design, construction and in service support of 12 patrol boats. During the October 2004 Federal election, the Government announced that two additional patrol boats would be purchased to conduct augmented patrols off the North-West Shelf All 14 vessels have now been delivered and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy.
Delivery and Commissioning Dates
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Vessel Name |
Formal Offer |
RAN Commissioning |
HMAS ARMIDALE |
17 May 05 |
24 Jun 05 |
HMAS LARRAKIA |
22 Oct 05 |
10 Feb 06 |
HMAS BATHURST |
30 Nov 05 |
10 Feb 06 |
HMAS ALBANY |
10 Mar 06 |
15 Jul 06 |
HMAS PIRIE |
06 Apr 06 |
29 Jul 06 |
HMAS MAITLAND |
01 Jun 06 |
29 Sep 06 |
HMAS ARARAT |
27 Jun 06 |
10 Nov 06 |
HMAS BROOME |
16 Sep 06 |
10 Feb 07 |
HMAS BUNDABERG |
17 Oct 06 |
03 Mar 07 |
HMAS WOLLONGONG |
19 Mar 07 |
28 Jun 07 |
HMAS CHILDERS |
30 Apr 07 |
07 Jul 07 |
HMAS LAUNCESTON |
17 Jul 07 |
22 Sep 07 |
HMAS MARYBOROUGH |
23 Aug 07 |
08 Dec 07 |
HMAS GLENELG |
25 Oct 07 |
22 Feb 08 |
Performance Characteristics
The Armidale Class Patrol Boats can operate in sea conditions up to sea state 5, to 1000 nautical miles offshore and be deployed for up to 42 days with an overall range of 3000 nautical miles – a 25 per cent increase over the Fremantle Class boats. They are equipped with two large seaboats for patrol, surveillance and boarding operations, more than doubling the previous capacity. In addition, they are fitted with the Rafael 25mm Typhoon stabilised cannon and state of the art communications systems from CEA Technologies.
The Armidale Class Patrol Boats are home ported in Cairns and Darwin, with two Darwin-based boats forward deployed on North-West Shelf operations, and are used to better patrol and protect Australia ’s coastline. The Navy now has an improved capability to intercept and apprehend vessels suspected of illegal fishing, quarantine, customs or immigration offences.
Naming of the Armidale Class Patrol Boats
The new patrol boats’ class is named after the original HMAS Armidale, a Bathurst Class corvette, which served as an escort vessel, protecting Australian coastal and mainland to New Guinea convoys. She was sunk by enemy action on 1 December 1942 during operations off Betano, on the south coast of Timor. Of the crew of 149 only 49 survived.
The new patrol boats are named after Australian cities and towns with close links with Navy heritage. The boats are named Armidale, Larrakia, Bathurst, Albany, Pirie, Maitland, Ararat, Broome, Bundaberg, Wollongong, Childers, Launceston, Mary borough. and Glenelg.
Key Characteristics of the Armidale Class Patrol Boats
(click here for preview of Technical Summary)
PARAMETERS
| Length: | 56.8 m |
| Displacement: | 270 tonnes |
| Hull: | Semi-displacement vee, with Seastate active ride control system (hydraulic stabiliser fins and stern trim tabs). |
| Propulsion: | Two MTU 16V M70 2320 kW diesels driving twin screws through ZF transmissions. |
CONSTRUCTION
- Conventional welded aluminium alloy construction.
- Built to a combination of commercial standards (Det Norska Veritas Rules for High Speed Light Craft) and specified Navy Maritime Materiel Requirements.
- Will meet applicable international civil safety and pollution regulations.
CREW/ACCOMMODATION
- Crewed by 21 personnel (29 bunks).
- Habitability is substantially better than current Fremantle Patrol Boats.
- Separate additional accommodation for up to 20.
PERFORMANCE
- Conduct all tasks up to the top of sea state 4 (2.5m waves).
- Conduct key surveillance tasks up to sea state 5 (4m waves).
- Continuous speed 25 knots in sea state 4 for 24 hours.
- Range 3000 nautical miles (with a 20% fuel reserve) at 12 knots cruise speed.
- Capable of being conventionally deployed for up to 42 days, or forward deployed for up to 90 days.
SYSTEMS
- Surveillance - low light optical, communication direction finding and radar.
- Modular, flexible CEA supplied communications suite.
- Rafael Typhoon 25 mm naval stabilised deck gun and two 12.7 mm machine guns.
- Two Zodiac 7.2 m waterjet seaboats.
Contact
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Director - Patrol Boat System Program OfficeTelephone: 08 8924 2222
Fax: 08 8924 2201
or Email: pbspo@defence.gov.au
Last updated: 27 Oct 2009