With the commissioning of HMAS Arafura, the Royal Australian Navy has introduced the first Arafura Class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). Under project SEA 1180 Phase 1, OPVs will replace the current Armidale Class and work with Cape Class patrol boats. The 6 Australian vessels are based on the Lürssen PV80 design.
The first 2 ships were built in South Australia by Luerssen Australia and ASC OPV Shipbuilder Pty Ltd. The remaining 4 are being built in Western Australia by Luerssen Australia and Civmec Limited.
The OPV design supports specialist mission packages, such as a maritime tactical unmanned aerial system. In future, it will also support rapid environmental assessment and deployable mine counter measure capabilities.
The OPV's main roles are to carry out constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. It will operate alongside Australian Border Force vessels, other Australian Defence Force units and regional partners.
The names of the upcoming vessels were announced during the ceremonial keel laying for the second Arafura Class OPV. On 9 April 2020, then Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, revealed that upon commissioning:
- OPV1 will be HMAS Arafura
- OPV2 will be HMAS Eyre
- OPV3 will be HMAS Pilbara
- OPV4 will be HMAS Gippsland
- OPV5 will be HMAS Illawarra
- OPV6 will be HMAS Carpentaria.
Specifications
- Class: Arafura Class
- Type: offshore patrol vessel
- Role: patrol boat
- Builder: Luerssen Australia and ASC
- Length: 80 metres
- Beam: 13 metres
- Draught: 4 metres
- Speed: 20 knots (top speed)
- Range: 4,000 nautical miles
- Crew: 40 (accommodation for 60)
- Machinery: two 4,250 kW diesel engines
- Boats:
- two 8.5 metre Boomeranger FRB 850 rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) (crane-launched)
- one 10.5 metre Boomeranger C 1100 RHIB (stern-launched)
- Weapons:
- one 25 mm gun
- two 50-calibre machine guns
Function
Offshore patrol vessel