The Hunter Class frigate, which is a modified version of BAE System’s Type 26 frigate, will be one of the most advanced anti-submarine warships in the world. The 6 Hunter Class frigates will be built in Australia by ASC Shipbuilding (now known as…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/hunter-class-frigate
The rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) provides Royal Australian Navy surface combatants with an over the horizon interception and boarding capability. The RHIB can seat up to 10 personnel, however the forward 6 seats can be removed to make room…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/rigid-hulled-inflatable-boat-rhib
The Royal Australian Navy's light utility boats are used for hydrographic survey support, training, and light utility tasks.
Specifications
Type: general purpose vessel
Role:
hydrographic survey support
training
light utility tasks
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/light-utility-boat-lub
The LCM-1E is a class of amphibious mechanised landing craft (LCM) manufactured by Navantia who also build the landing helicopter dock (LHD) hulls. Landing craft (LLC) are purpose built for the LHD.
The LLC is intended to deliver troops and…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/lhd-landing-craft-llc
The Royal Australian Navy has operated a number of landing craft, vehicle and personnel (LCVP) since 1993. Built by Geraldton Boat Builders, the LCVP can carry up to 36 personnel or a Land Rover with a half-ton trailer. One LCVP is held in reserve…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/landing-craft-vehicle-personnel-lcvp
The Royal Australian Navy uses the six-person Zodiac Mark 2 Grand Raider (Zodiac MK2) general purpose inflatable boat (GPIB). It is used in open seas or closed waters during clearance diving operations, reconnaissance, as a tender, landings or troop…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/general-purpose-inflatable-boat
The Admiral’s Barge is one of 2 vessels belonging to the VIP Boat Squadron. Commissioned in 1993, built by Norman R Wright & Sons in Brisbane, the Admiral’s Barge is the third vessel to carry the name.
The barge is seen in service around Sydney…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/admirals-barge
The submarine intervention gear ships, Merchant Vessel (MV) Besant and MV Stoker, are the latest enhancements to Navy’s submarine search and rescue capability. Stoker is operated by DMS Maritime. It embarks the LR5 submarine rescue system…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/mv-stoker
The submarine intervention gear ships, Merchant Vessel (MV) Besant and MV Stoker, are the latest enhancements to Navy’s submarine search and rescue capability. Besant is operated by DMS Maritime.
MV Besant is named after the Commanding Officer…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/mv-besant
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) navigation training vessel, Merchant Vessel (MV) Mercator, is a modified Pacific Class patrol boat. Purpose built for navigation training by Tenix Marine in Western Australia, it was launched in October 1998 to…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/mv-mercator
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Ocean Protector is a Romanian-built, former remotely operated vehicle support vessel launched on 28 January 2007. Ocean Protector entered service, under charter from DOF Subsea, for the Australian Customs and Border…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/adv-ocean-protector
A list of common naval slang.
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/customs-traditions/naval-slang
While veterans may no longer serve in the Royal Australian Navy, there are a number of organisations that provide services and support to them and their families.
https://www.navy.gov.au/navy-people/veteran-support
There are varying estimates for how long Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia. The most recent archaeological evidence suggests that Aboriginal people have occupied mainland Australia for at least 65,000 years,…
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/history-milestones/indigenous-australian-maritime-histories
Two thousand years ago the Alexandrian philosopher Claudius Ptolemy suggested that beyond Asia a great southern land existed, Terra Australis.
In the fifteenth century, European cartographers were imagining a large continent that might exist between…
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/history-milestones/european-exploration-charting-australian-continent
The origin and history of the Otranto Shields.
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/customs-traditions/otranto-shield
The origin and history of the The Duke of Gloucester's Cup.
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/customs-traditions/duke-gloucesters-cup
The origin and history of the Chief of Navy's personal flag.
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/customs-traditions/chief-navys-personal-flag
The EC-135 T2+ is a military training helicopter that offers a glass cockpit, high visibility, a multi-axis auto-pilot, and other advanced technologies to help instructors perform training missions. The EC-135 offers the performance and safety of a…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/aircraft/ec-135-t2
The MH-60R-Seahawk, operational with the United States Navy since 2006, was designed to replace 2 helicopters – the SH-60B and SH-60F. This allowed a single helicopter to perform the full spectrum of maritime helicopter roles.
The helicopter was…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/aircraft/mh-60r-seahawk
The standard missile is mounted on the Royal Australian Navy's major combatants. The SM-2 is primarily used for fleet area air defence and ship self-defence, but also has an extended air defence capability and it has a secondary anti-surface ship…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/sm-2-standard-missile
The MU90 torpedo is a fire-and-forget weapon designed to counter any type of nuclear or conventional submarine, acoustically coated, deploying active or passive homing.
Specifications
Function: fire-and-forget torpedo
Guidance: passive or active…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/mu90
The Mini-Typhoon is a lightweight, naval, stabilized and remote operated machine gun system utilising the .50 calibre Browning quick change barrel (QCB) heavy machine gun. The Mini-Typhoon provides perimeter protection for larger vessels.…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/mini-typhoon
The Mark 48 (MK-48) is designed to combat fast, deep-diving nuclear submarines and high performance surface ships.
MK-48 and MK-48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) torpedoes can operate with or without wire guidance and use active or passive homing. When…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/mark-48
The 7.62 mm MAG 58 General Support Machine Gun (GSMG) is a fully automatic crew-serviced weapon that is usually mounted on the starboard side door of Navy's helicopters. Ammunition usually consists of a combination of ball and tracer rounds…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/mag-58
While the M4A1 Carbine has a similar capability to the standard F88 Austeyr, its simple gas-powered action tends not to jam in water. The modular design is also more suited to clearance diving operations.
The M4A1 comes with a range of attachments…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/m4a1-carbine
The Browning 12.7 mm M2 heavy barrel quick change barrel machine gun is carried by all Royal Australian Navy surface combatants. It is a robust and capable weapon used in both defensive and attacking roles. The machine gun is effective at close…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/m2hb-qcb
The Hi-Power pistol is the standard side-arm of the Australian Defence Force and the primary weapon for boarding party members and quick response forces. It is a reliable, compact weapon with a 13-round magazine.
Specifications
Function: pistol…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/hi-power-pistol
The GAU-21 is a .50 calibre, single barrel, rapid-fire machine gun used on the Fleet Air Arm’s MH-60R. The GAU-21 provides both offensive and defensive firepower ranging out to nearly 2,000 meters.
An evolution of the FN M3 .50 calibre heavy machine…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/gau-21
The Minimi F89 light support weapon is a belt fed, air cooled, gas operated machine gun. It comes fitted with a bipod and can be fired from a variety of positions. It can engage point targets effectively to 400 m and area targets out to 600…
https://www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/weapons/f89a1-minimi