ROAD TEST
As the Armidale Class patrol boats continue to roll off the production line, Navy News’ reporter Michael Brooke went for a ride on NUSHIP Ararat, to find out what life is like for the crew of one of our new patrol boats.

TAKE THE STRAIN: AB Steven Bebbington and AB Matthew Bennett heave in a line during an evolution onboard NUSHIP Ararat.

FLAGS APLENTY: The flag bin onboard Ararat creates an impressive and colourful sight.

MY RESTAURANT RULES: ABCK Iain Marino is one of the two cooks on board, and is very popular thanks to the great food he makes for the crew.

MAGIC SUNSET : Ararat witnesses a spectacular sunset in Darwin Harbour.

Forget any negativity that you may have heard about serving on a small patrol boat in rough weather far from the comforts of home because if a “test drive” of NUSHIP Ararat is any indication then the new Armidale Class Patrol Boat is truly a quantum leap in capability and comfort.

A Navy News road-test illustrated how Ararat and 13-other ACPBs will greatly improve the RAN’s capability to intercept and apprehend illegal vessels in a greater range of sea conditions which will result in better protection of Australia’s coastline and maritime resources.

NUSHIP Ararat’s motto is “Strength Through Effort” and her crew’s effort and morale was multiplied by their satisfaction and elation with her enhanced capability and comfort compared to the trusty old Fremantle Class Patrol Boats.

Metaphorically speaking, comparing an ACPB with an FCPB is like contrasting a $400K Ferrari F430 Spider with an old Volkswagon Beetle which has given long and loyal service.

Although the FCPBs served the RAN very well for more than two decades they are totally outclassed by the ACPBs which boast technology, habitability and predictability.

LCDR Paul Ruhl, the CO of Assail Three which provided the road-test, told Navy News that the ACPBs mark a “win-win” situation for RAN personnel and the Navy.

“The ACPBs provide a glimpse into the future in the way Navy personnel will serve on new minor warfare platforms and the RAN will operate new classes of warships,” he said.

Navy News’ test drive of Ararat off the coast of Darwin during her Mariner Skills Evaluation in mid-September confirmed that her sleek design, hi-tech wizardry and comforts combine to seduce sailors.

Ararat’s main features are technology (harnessing modern technology to increase operational capability), habitability (improving living conditions for the crew) and predictability (providing more certainty in the operational program crews).

In terms of technology, Ararat’s bridge is fitted with the marine link system for command, control and ship management, X and S-band search radar systems for enhanced situational awareness, and state-of-the-art UF/VHF comms and satcoms as well as an advanced “paperless” navigation display system.

Ararat also features a Rafael Typhoon 25mm remotely operated gun, two 7.2m Zodiac Jet RHIBs with a maximum speed of 30 knots, and two MTU 16V 4000 M70 turbo diesel engines that purr like a kitten for a maximum speed of 25 knots over a range of 3,000nm.

The Typhoon deck gun, which gives Ararat and other ACPBs their powers of persuasion is similar to the Army Bushmaster gun as it features an electro-optical fire control system and boasts a rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute.

But Ararat’s biggest selling point is probably the smooth ride she gives her crew of 21 (nine plus two boarding parties).

Ararat’s test drive was surprisingly smooth for the former FCPB members who were impressed with the way she sliced through 1-1.5m waves with hardly a splash.

Ararat’s computer command stabiliser fins and stern trim tabs contributed to the smooth and stable ride, which saved this Navy News sea-rider from the embarrassment of being sea-sick after devouring such an appetising lunch (ABCK Iain Marino’s massive T-Rex steak).

Ararat XO LEUT Cam Hooper, who appeared in two episodes of Border Patrol on Channel 7 earlier this year while posted to HMAS Warrnambool, expressed surprise at how well the ACPB performs at sea.

“Even in sea state 1 or 2 conditions there would be spray coming over the bow of an FCBP and people could be feeling a bit woozy, but with the ACPB it’s just a really smooth ride,” he said.

Ararat includes a range of other impressive features sure to have potential volunteers for the Patrol Boat FEG dribbling in anticipation of service on the RAN’s newest class of ship.

Ararat is big on comfort and habitability; she has spacious single, double and four-man berths complete with ensuite that provide the crew with the kind of comfort and privacy they would otherwise only find on a cruise ship.

Similarly, Ararat is fitted with not only ship’s email allowing her crew to stay in touch with family and friends, but her three messes are equipped with satellite TV.

Her crew, when not on duty, can enjoy major sporting events like the cricket, stay current with world events or monitor their favourite soap-opera.

Ararat and the other ACPBs are so spacious and user-friendly that the galley is close to the size of that in the Anzac Class frigate, which is why there is enough room for two cooks to whip up a range of culinary delights that play no small role in helping maintain the crew’s morale.

LSCK Adam Smith said the galley is a chef’s “dream come true” compared to those on the O-boats and FCPBs he cooked on for 20-years.

The new ACPB has also paved the way for a new method of operating minor warfare vessels and a new relationship and understanding with contractors.

Crew members CPOMT Peter Melody and ABET Michael Bass said watch duty spanned four hours and they pulled only one in five shifts, which made for a very sustainable program during the nine to 10-week patrol.

Another key feature of the ACPB is the multi-crewing concept that involves some 21 crews rotating through 14 ACPBs, which provides for greater respite at the conclusion of long patrols, a cumulative total of at least 14 weeks off rotation per year.

Additionally, the multi-crewing concept reflects the RAN’s new management and maintenance of the ACPBs which is coordinated by the contractor Defence Maritime Services (DMS).
This frees the crews of the time consuming responsibility of maintenance planning.

Ararat’s bewitching looks and eye-catching performance stamp the ACPB as a state-of-the-art platform that eliminates the minor discomfort and personnel sacrifices sometimes encountered by sailors during lengthy periods at sea.

When Ararat is commissioned in Victoria on October 14, she will become the RAN’s seventh ACPB to be commissioned and will also represent the Patrol Boat FEG’s latest step to the next milestone of bringing the four-boat Assail Division on-line.

For further information about the Darwin-based patrol Boat FEG log on to http://intranet.defence.gov.au/navyweb/Sites/PBFEG/.

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