Navy's twelfth Armidale Class Patrol Boat commissions
24 September 2007
In a centuries old tradition, the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) Armidale Class Patrol Boat (ACPB), HMAS Launceston, commissioned in Beauty Point near her namesake city on 22 September 2007.
Launceston is the twelfth of fourteen state-of-the-art ACPBs to be commissioned into the RAN and was built by Western Australian shipbuilder Austal Ships. The first ACPB, HMAS Armidale, was commissioned in June 2005 and all of her sister ships are now operational.
In today's ceremony, the ship's Commissioning Order was read and the Australian White Ensign was hoisted for the first time. In attendance was the Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, Chief of Navy, VADM Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN, Commander Australian Fleet, RADM Nigel Coates, AM, RAN, the Commander Australian Navy Systems Command, CDRE Steve Gilmore, CSC, RAN who were joined by Tasmanian federal and state parliamentarians, Launceston Council and community representatives, veterans from Launceston (I) and personnel who served in Launceston (II), members of the naval community and the Ship's company and their families.
"This is a great day for the Navy, my crew and the town of Launceston. Today marks the culmination of many months of hard work in getting Launceston ready for her mission," Commanding Officer HMAS Launceston, LCDR Richard Stevenson, RAN said.
"HMAS Launceston, with her state-of-the-art design, will provide considerable improvements in both operational capability as well as crew habitability," Commander Australian Fleet, RADM Nigel Coates said.
"The Fremantle Class Patrol Boats conducted sterling work over the past 27 years, but these new vessels will add a new dimension to border security."
Launceston is one of the four ACPBs to be based in Cairns, Queensland as part of the Ardent Division , consisting of four patrol boats and six crews. The multi-crewing concept is designed to maximise platform availability without compromising crew respite and training periods.
