By
Graham Davis
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An
impression of what the new Armidale Class patrol boat will
look like.
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FAST
FACTS
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Length:
56.8 metres.
Displacement:
270 tonnes.
Propulsion:
Two MTU 16V M70 2320 KW diesels driving
twin screws through ZF transmissions.
Ship’s company:
21 with separate additional accommodation
for up to 20 extra persons.
Performance:
Capable of conducting all tasks up to
a top sea state 4 (2.5metre waves).
Range:
3000 NM
(with a 20 per cent fuel reserve) at a cruise speed of 12
knots.
Armaments:
Rafael Typhoon 25mm naval stabilised
deck gun and two 12.7mm machine guns.
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Work
will commence in a few weeks on the first of 12 Armidale Class
patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy.
The May 2004 start up follows the signing of the $553 million
contract between the Commonwealth and Defence Maritime Services,
the prime contractor, on December 17.
Delivery of the first vessel is scheduled for May 2005.
The 12 boats will be built at the shipyard of Austal, a DMS subcontractor,
in Western Australia.
The contract not only calls for the construction of the 12 craft
it also requires the contractor to provide 15 years of support
and maintenance for each boat.
This support phase is based around the simple concept that DMS
is providing Navy with 3000 days per year that the boats can be
used and is able to provide a further 600 days in one year if
the RAN requires it.
The speed of construction of the new class is impressive, with
just 17 months from contract signature to the delivery of the
first boat.
The new patrol boat project was given priority in the Defence
White Paper of 2000.
