Armidale class patrol boat

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Armidale class

General Characteristics
Displacement: 270 tonnes
Length: 56.8 metres
Beam: 9.5 metres
Draught: 2.7 metres
Propulsion: Two MTU 16V M70 2320 kW diesels driving twin screws through ZF transmissions
Speed: 25 knots
Range: 3000 nautical miles
Complement: 21 (accommodation for 41)
Armaments: One Rafael Typhoon 25 mm naval stabilised deck gun
Two 12.7 mm machine guns
Two Zodiac 7.2 m waterjet seaboats
Surveillance: low light optical, communication direction finding and radar.
The Armidale class patrol boat is a new class of patrol boats under construction for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and is intended to replace the RAN's Fremantle class patrol boats. Designed and built by Austal Ships, the leadship HMAS Armidale was commissioned into the RAN in June 2005. The final ship in the class (HMAS Launceston) is due to be delivered to the RAN in May 2007.


Armidale class
General Characteristics
Displacement:	270 tonnes
Length:	56.8 metres
Beam:	9.5 metres
Draught:	2.7 metres
Propulsion:	Two MTU 16V M70 2320 kW diesels driving twin screws through ZF transmissions
Speed:	25 knots
Range:	3000 nautical miles
Complement:	21 (accommodation for 41)
Armaments:	One Rafael Typhoon 25 mm naval stabilised deck gun Two 12.7 mm machine guns Two Zodiac 7.2 m waterjet seaboats
Surveillance:	low light optical, communication direction finding and radar.

These ships will be based in Cairns, Darwin and Dampier to conduct border security and fishing patrols of Australia's northern waters. The ships may also be used to support the Army's Regional Force Surveillance Units and special forces.

Unlike the Fremantle class patrol boats, the Armidale class patrol boats will not have a crew permanently assigned to the vessel. Under current plans 21 crews will be raised to man the 14 Armidale class patrol boats. Three of the four Divisions equipped with the patrol boats will be assigned six crews to man the Division’s four ships, with the 4th Division (equipped with two patrol boats) being assigned the remaining three crews. These crews will rotate between the ships in their Division. The Royal Australian Navy believes that multi-crewing the Armidale class vessels will allow the ships to spend more time at sea while providing adequate rest time for their crews.

Units

HMAS Armidale (ACPB 83)
HMAS Larrakia (ACPB 84)
HMAS Bathurst (ACPB 85)
HMAS Albany (ACPB 86)
HMAS Pirie (ACPB 87)
HMAS Maitland (ACPB 88)
HMAS Ararat (ACPB 89)
HMAS Broome (ACPB 90)
HMAS Bundaberg (ACPB 91)
HMAS Wollongong (ACPB 92)
HMAS Childers (ACPB 93)
HMAS Launceston (ACPB 94)
HMAS Maryborough (ACPB 95)
HMAS Glenelg (ACPB 96)

The Royal Australian Navy published an article on previous ships with these names in [Navy News]

References

Royal Australian Navy [Patrol Boats]
Royal Australian Navy Sea Power Centre [Welcome to the Armidale Class]
Defence Materiel Office [Project SEA 1444]
Australian National Audit Office [The Armidale Class Patrol Boat Project: Project Management]
Austal [Royal Australian Navy 56m patrol boats]

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