Displacement, Tons: 270
Dimensions, Feet (metres): 184.6 × 29.5 × 10.0  (56.8 × 9.0 × 3.0)
Main Machinery: 2 MTU 4000 16V diesels; 6,225 hp (4.64 MW); 2 shafts
Speed, Knots: 25. Range Nautical Miles: 3,000 at 12 knots
Complement: 21
Weapons: 1x25 mm Rafael M242 Bushmaster, 2 x 12.7 mm Machine Guns

COMMENTS

Austal Ships in conjunction with Defence Maritime Services contracted on 17 December 2003 to supply patrol boats to replace the Fremantle class under Project Sea 1444. The craft are to be of monohull design and to be capable of carrying two RHIBs. First steel cut on 5 May 2004 with delivery of the first of class due in 2005 followed by the whole class by 2008. DMS will provide through-life logistics and maintenance support over 15 years. The craft are named after Australian cities and towns. Eight of the craft are to be based at Darwin, Northern Territory, and the other four at Cairns, Queensland.

CONSTRUCTION

Conventional welded aluminium alloy construction.

Built to a combination of commercial standards (Det Norska Veritas Rules for High Speed Light Craft) and specified Navy Maritime Materiel Requirements.

Will meet applicable international civil safety and pollution regulations.

CREW/ACCOMMODATION

Crewed by 21 personnel.

Habitability is substantially better than the current Fremantle Class Patrol Boats.

Separate additional accommodation for up to 20.

PERFORMANCE

Conduct all tasks up to the top of sea state 4 (2.5m waves).

Conduct key surveillance tasks up to sea state 5 (4m waves).

Continous speed 25 knots in sea state 4 (waves to 2.5m) for 24 hours.

Range 3000 nautical miles (with a 20% fuel reserve) at a cruise speed of 12 knots.

Capable of being deployed for up to 42 days.

SYSTEMS

Surveillance - low light optical, communication direction finding and radar.

Modular, flexible CEA supplied communications suite.

Rafael Typhoon 25 mm naval stabilised deck gun and two 12.7mm machine guns.

Two Zodiac 7.2m Waterjet Seaboat

Australia accepts first Armidale Patrol Boat
by Ian Bostock JDW Correspondent, Sydney

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has formally accepted the first of 12 Armidale-class patrol boats from Defence Maritime Services (DMS) following completion of harbour, sea and more recently mission trials.

The latter comprised a passage of more than 2,700 nm south into the Southern Ocean to test performance in semi-Arctic conditions and rough seas before heading north to Darwin, Northern Territory.

Replacing the ageing 42 m Fremantle Class Patrol Boats built during the early 1980s, the new vessels are designed and built by DMS' teaming partner, Austal Ships, at its yard in Henderson, Western Australia. They feature improved seakeeping and more advanced sensors and communications systems than their predecessors. Each boat will be armed with a 25 mm Typhoon Mk 25 lightweight stabilised naval gun mount on the foredeck.

At 57 m in length overall, the Armidale-class patrol boats can sustain speeds in excess of 25 kt.

Powered by a pair of 2,320 kW MTU 16V 4000 M70 diesel engines, a maximum range is around 3,000 nm. The total complement is 29, with additional berths provided for a further 20 temporary passengers.

Nuship Armidale will be commissioned on 24 June at its home port of Darwin Naval Base. It will then undergo crew evaluation before commencing operational patrols.

Construction of the second and third Armidale-class boats is well advanced, with work on follow-on boats also under way.

The government is expected to order two additional vessels soon for patrol duties in the remote and resource-rich North West Shelf region.

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