HMAS Arafura

Commissioned on 28 June 2025, HMAS Arafura is an Arafura Class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). It is the first of 6 Arafura Class ships built to replace the Armidale Class and Cape Class patrol boats.

Arafura was constructed by Luerssen Australia in partnership with ASC Pty Ltd at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. The vessel will support specialist mission packages such as a maritime tactical unmanned aerial system. In the future, it will support rapid environmental assessment and deployable mine countermeasure capabilities.

Protecting Australia’s coastal and territorial waters, Arafura’s primary focus will be on fisheries protection, border security, customs and law enforcement operations.

Patrolling Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Arafura will work with Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. It will also collaborate with regional partners to uphold Australian and International law. This is to ensure our region’s security, defence and economic prosperity against:

• unauthorised entry
• breaches of customs, immigration and drugs legislation
• illegal activity
• risks to the integrity of national fish-stocks, marine environments and other natural resources.

Arafura’s home port will be HMAS Stirling; the ship sails with the graceful and adaptable white-spotted eagle stingray on its badge.

The first 2 Arafura Class ships will be delivered from South Australia. The remaining 4 will be built in Western Australia by Luerssen Australia and Civmec Construction.

Specifications

• Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft
• Class: Arafura Class
• Type: offshore patrol vessel
• Role: patrol boat
• Pennant: 203
• International callsign: TBC
• Motto: Intercept
• Home port: HMAS Stirling
• 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