New Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel HMAS Eyre has been commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy’s surface fleet.
The new warship was officially welcomed into the fleet in a ceremony staged on Friday at her home port of HMAS Stirling, at Fleet Base West on Garden Island near Perth, Western Australia.
RAN chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond commented: “The commissioning of HMAS Eyre strengthens our nation’s maritime security, providing our Navy with the capability to protect Australia’s maritime approaches, contributing to stability in our region.
“Offshore patrol vessels like HMAS Eyre are a force multiplier, performing a number of roles in a variety of missions.
“HMAS Eyre will conduct maritime surveillance interdiction and was purpose-built to embark containerised mission systems as part of an integrated capability. I am very much looking forward to seeing all six of these flexible ships in the hands of our capable Royal Australian Navy sailors.”
The six Arafura-class OPVs will replace the current Armidale Class and work alongside Cape-Class patrol boats.
The first-in-class, HMAS Arafura, was commissioned into service in June last year; both were built by Lurssen Australia and ASC at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.
The remaining four — Pilbara, Gippsland, Illawarra and Carpentaria — are currently under construction at the Henderson Maritime Precinct by Civmec (formerly Lurssen Australia).
The 80-metre-long warships have a top speed of around 20 knots, a 4,000-nautical-mile range, and a crew of 40. They are armed with a 25mm naval gun and two 50-calibre machine guns.
Each OPV will carry two 8.5-metre Boomeranger rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and a stern-launched 10.5-metre Boomeranger RHIB. An uncrewed aerial system (UAS) can be deployed from the rear deck.
The six ships will form part of a wider RAN capability providing civil maritime security and regional engagement in the Southwest Pacific and maritime Southeast Asia.
- You can read more details on the Defence Australia website