Patrol boats full steam

By Graham Davis

Pictured with a model of the new Armidale Class Patrol Boat are, from left to right, Patrol Boat Group Commander, CAPT Peter Marshall, DMS chairman Ross Brewer, Austal executive chairman John Rothwell and Senator for WA, Senator David Johnston.

Photo: Austal

Work has started on the first of 12 Armidale Class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy.

A ceremonial plate cutting was conducted at the Austal shipyard near Fremantle on May 5.

Senior representatives for the contractors, the RAN, DMO, the workforce and Senator David Johnston representing the Defence Minister were among those to attend the ceremony.

Under the $550 million contract, won by Defence Maritime Services in conjunction with Austal, 12 aluminium patrol boats will be constructed over the next 42 months.

They will replace the present 15-vessel Fremantle fleet. The new boats will form the front line of defence for Australia’s maritime boundaries.

They will act as the principal maritime patrol and response element of Australia’s National Civil Surveillance Program.

Austal Ships said Australian cities and towns with close links to RAN history will lend their names to the fleet with HMAS Armidale to be launched in January and delivered in April 2005.

The second and third boats will follow six months later. Mr John Rothwell, the executive chairman of Austal, which designed and will build the craft, said much research and technology had been invested in the project.

“The protection of Australian waters will benefit from the superior performance of the RAN’s Armidale Class patrol boat fleet.”

He said the contract represented the largest defence contract ever awarded in Western Australia.

The fleet, with a total contract value of about $550 million, will primarily carry out surveillance, interception, investigation, apprehension and the escort to port of vessels suspected of illegal fishing, quarantine, customs or immigration offences.

Mr Ross Brewer, chairman of DMS which was the successful tenderer and will manage project requirements and provide in-service support to the vessels throughout their operational lives, praised the feature of the fleet.

“They will provide the RAN with greater speed, comfort and sea keeping and reduced throughlife costs when compared with the Fremantle Class vessels,” he said.

“The DMS/Austal Ships team is facilitating the schedule for the timely delivery of vessels and we look forward to seeing the entire fleet in operation,” he said.

The boats will be based in Darwin and Cairns. They will be able to operate to the limits of Australia’s exclusive economic zone.

The vessels are designed for operation in the tropical sea and weather conditions of Australia’s northern waters as well as the Southern Ocean.

The boats will also be capable of deployment to Christmas and Cocos Islands.

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