The Arafura class vessels will be equipped with two diesel engines with a maximum-rated power production capacity of 8,500kW each. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on 18 April 2016 that ship designers Damen, Fassmer and Lürssen had been shortlisted for the project. The control system will be complemented by the on-board electronic warfare system. Length: 80 m; Beam: 13 m; Draught: 4 m; Speed: 20 knots (maximum) Range: 7,400 kilometres; Displacement: approx. Construction has commenced on the Navy’s new offshore patrol vessels at Osborne in South Australia. … [18], In 2012, American shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries proposed a variant of the Legend-class National Security Cutter, a ship built for the United States Coast Guard. [10][13], It was anticipated that the new ships could have displaced anywhere up to 2,000 tonnes, although defence magazine editor Kym Bergmann predicts that this 'worst case' would require 50,000 tons of steel or aluminium to be fabricated (compared to 36,000 tons for the Attack-class submarine program), and unless multiple shipbuilders are involved, the 12- to 18-month construction time per vessel will see the last ship enter service during the late 2020s. SEA 1180 Phase 1 OPVs will replace and improve upon the capability delivered by the 13 Armidale Class patrol boats by acquiring 12 new vessels, which will be known as the Arafura Class when they enter service from 2022. [23][24], The Arafura-class is based on the Lürssen-designed Darussalam-class, operated by the Royal Brunei Navy. The Arafura class OPV will be primarily armed with a 40mm large cannon mounted on the forward bow deck to protect the ship from onshore attacks. Construction of HMAS Arafura began in November 2018 and the vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2021. The Australian government’s National Shipbuilding Program has reached another milestone with the keel laying for the first offshore patrol vessel (OPV) under construction in Western Australia or the third new Arafura-class OPV — NUSHIP Pilbara. [21], Under SEA 1905 a further two ships are to be built by Civmec for the mine countermeasures role. The Arafura class OPV will be primarily armed with a 40mm large cannon mounted on the forward bow deck to protect the ship from onshore attacks. [10] The project received the procurement designation SEA 1180. OPV3, HMAS Pilbara, was laid down in September 2020. The names of the following four ships were also announced at this time: HMA Ships Pilbara, Gippsland, Illawara and Carpentaria. The firepower of the vessel can be further improved by the advanced 9LV combat management system designed by SAAB Australia. However, this was further increased to 14 when 2 further Mine Counter Measures variants were proposed under SEA 1905. It will also feature dedicated mounts, which can be armed with .50 calibre machine guns. The Fremantle-class patrol boats were coastal patrol vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1979 to 2007. The Arafura class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) are being built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). [1] Each vessel has a gross displacement of 1,640 tonnes, and measures 80 metres (260 ft) long, with a beam of 13 metres (43 ft) and a draft of 4 metres (13 ft). The class is named for the Arafura Sea between Australia and Indonesia. The firepower of the vessel can be further improved by the advanced 9LV combat management system designed by SAAB Australia. The program of 12 vessels will replace and improve upon the capability delivered by the Armidale Class and Cape Class Patrol Boats. During the ceremonial keel laying for the second Arafura class OPV held at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide on 9 April 2020, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, announced the names of the next five vessels. Initially proposed in the 2009 Defence White Paper and marked as procurement project SEA 1180, it was originally planned that 20 Offshore Combatant Vessels (OCV) would replace 26 vessels across four separate ship classes: the Armidale-class patrol boats, the Huon-class minehunters, the Leeuwin-class survey vessels, and the Paluma-class survey motor launches. SSBN Borei Class Nuclear-Powered Submarines, USS Abraham Lincoln – Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier, Elbit Systems of America to acquire Sparton for $380m, HMNB Devonport opens new Helicopter Operating Facility, US Navy’s future USS Daniel Inouye DDG 118 completes Builder’s trials, Northrop Grumman wins US Navy production contract for Coyote vehicles, UK Royal Navy’s Wildcat fleet gets first new fifth-generation sensors, Gowind Class Corvette Multi-Mission Combatant. The keel for the second OPV, HMAS Eyre, was laid down in April 2020 and the vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2023. [25][26] The first two vessels will be built by ASC Shipbuilding in Adelaide, South Australia before production is transferred to Forgacs Marine & Defence shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia. The lead vessel, HMAS Arafura is planned to enter service in 2022. [13][17] The RAN is also observing the development of the United States Navy Littoral Combat Ships, to take advantage of lessons learned during the program. Type 23 Duke class frigates are multi-role warships built by Swan Hunter and BAE Systems for the UK’s Royal Navy.…, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is the fifth vessel of the Nimitz-Class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. [9][27], Construction of the first ship began on 15 November 2018. The Arafura Class is a custom Australian variant of German shipbuilder Lürssen’s PV80 design and is 80 metres in length with a displacement of around 1,700 tonnes and a draught of 4 metres. Australia’s current Armidale Class and Cape Class patrol boats are planned to be replaced with a single class of offshore patrol vessel (OPV), under Project SEA 1180 Phase 1, to be built in Australia. [17], In October 2017, the Australian government announced that the vessels would use an Australian-designed SAAB tactical combat management system. The class of twelve OPVs will replace the Armidale Class and Cape Class patrol boats. It manages the Navy's patrol boats. Since the initial…, Get important industry news and analysis sent to your inbox – sign up to our e-Newsletter here, “The first vessel of the class is expected to be delivered to the Australian Navy in 2021 for service entry in 2023.”. The Arafura-class will replace the Armidale-class and Cape-class patrol boats, Huon-class coastal minehunters and Leeuwin-class survey ships and will primarily be used for constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. The Australian Patrol Boat Group is a Force Element Group (FEG) of the Royal Australian Navy. The Patrol Boat Group operates thirteen (originally fourteen, HMAS Bundaberg was decommissioned in 2014 due to fire damage) Armidale class patrol boats. This resulted in the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) project and the amount of vessels reduced to 12. [17] Although the nations will share their analyses, a common design or shared construction program is unlikely, as the two nations have different needs and replacement schedules. Artists Impression of HMAS Arafura The primary role of the OPV will be to undertake constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. The all new Guardian Class Patrol Boat is based on Austal’s proven patrol boat design platform, originally developed for the Australian Customs Service (now Australian Border Force) and is 39.5 metres long with a beam of 8 metres and a loaded draft of 2.5 metres. The navigation requirements of the vessel will be addressed by next-generation 2D radar and electro-optical sensors. Arafura Class is a new class of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) being procured by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to replace its current Armidale Class and Cape Class Patrol Boats. On 15 November 2018, the Chief of Navy, VADM Mike Noonan, announced that the OPV will be known as the Arafura Class with construction commencing at the Osborne ship yard. [1] Two separate electro-optic targeting systems and three radars are installed and managed by the Saab 9LV system. The primary role of the OPV will be to undertake constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. [14] The Austal Multi Role Vessel (MRV 80) would have an overall length of 80 metres (262 ft 6 in), a top speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph), carry an NH-90 or similar helicopter, and have 500 m2 (5,400 sq ft) for mission equipment or cargo. From 2021 the first of 12 new Arafura Class OPVs is scheduled to begin replacing the Navy's ageing Armidale Class Patrol boats as well as its two leased Cape Class vessels. The Arafura Class crews will be tight knit, executing very important missions that will ultimately lead to a great sense of camaraderie and achievement in doing something that’s worthwhile». [10][16] The new ships were be used for offshore and littoral patrol, border protection, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy operations, mine warfare, and hydrographic survey. [10][11][12] The use of containerised modules means that equipment can be upgraded without taking the ships out of service for refit, and if necessary can be fitted to requisitioned civilian vessels. [1], The class of ships will be based on Lürssen's OPV80, similar to the Darussalam-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Brunei Navy. [29], On 11 September 2020 the third ship, HMAS Pilbara, was laid down at Civmec in Perth. Australia’s current Armidale class and Cape class patrol boats are planned to be replaced with a single class of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), under Project SEA 1180 Phase 1, to be built in Australia by German shipbuilder, Lürssen's subsidiary, Luerssen Australia partnering with Australian shipbuilder, Civmec in the joint venture, Australian Maritime Shipbuilding & Export… CAPTION: Sailors from the Royal Australian Navy Construction Branch inspect a model of an Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel at Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.Photo by Lieutenant Ryan Zerbe. [1] Propulsion power is from two MTU 16V diesel engines rated at 4,440 kilowatts (5,950 hp) each, which drive variable pitch propellers and give a top speed of 22 knots (25 mph), and shipboard electrical power is generated by MAN diesel engines. The project received the procurement designation SEA 1180. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is procuring 12 Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to replace its Armidale Class Patrol Boats under the $3.6 billion SEA 1180 project. Under SEA1180, or the Offshore Patrol Vessel Project as it is also known, 12 steel-hulled patrol boats will be built to replace the Royal Australian Navy’s ageing fleet of aluminium-hulled Armidale-class vessels. The steel-hulled ships will be 80 metres long with a beam of 13 metres, draught of four metres, and displacement of 1,640 tonnes which could eventually grow to … [17] At the start of 2010, it was announced that the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom were exploring the potential for idea-sharing and co-operation on the design of the OPV and FMHPV, as well as planned replacements for the Anzac-class, Type 22, and Type 23 frigates. The new OPVs are intended to replace the existing Armidale class and Cape class patrol boats, Huon class coastal minehunters, and Leeuwin class survey ships in service with the RAN. [30], Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030, "SAAB RECEIVES ORDER FOR AUSTRALIAN OPV SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SYSTEM", "SCANTER 6002 radar selected for SEA 1180 OPVs", "Australian SEA1180 OPVs to feature Terma's air and surface surveillance radars", "Vigy Engage selected for Project SEA 1180 OPVs", "SAFRAN VIGY ENGAGE SELECTED FOR AUSTRALIA'S SEA 1180 OPVS", "Malcolm Turnbull says 12 offshore patrol vessels to be built in Adelaide", "HUNDREDS OF AUSTRALIAN JOBS CREATED IN OFFSHORE PATROL VESSEL PROJECT", "Joint Media Release – Prime Minister, Minister for Defence and Minister for Defence Industry – New Approach to Naval Combat Systems", "Draft: Strategic infrastructure and land use plan", https://www.defence.gov.au/StrategicUpdate-2020/docs/Factsheet_Naval_Shipbuilding.pdf, https://adbr.com.au/breaking-govt-outlines-expansion-of-australian-defence-firepower/, "ASC Shipbuilding welcomes OPV bid partners Lürssen and Forgacs to Techport for the first time", "Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels to be built in WA and SA by German company Luerssen", "Construction begins on Arafura Class patrol vessels", "Major milestone for Navy's multibillion-dollar OPV program", "Keel Laid for Australia's third Arafura-class OPV", Arafura Class OPV on Royal Australian Navy website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arafura-class_offshore_patrol_vessel&oldid=996613525, Patrol vessels of the Royal Australian Navy, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. [10] It was plausible that the OPVs will operate in support of the Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ships; amphibious operations would benefit from the survey and mine warfare capabilities of the ships. It is capable of traveling at 20 knots and at 12 knots possesses a 3,000 nautical mile range. [1] The standard crew complement is 40 sailors, though up to 20 more can be berthed if required. [10][15], The OPV was originally planned to replace 26 vessels across four warship classes: the Armidale-class patrol boats, the Huon-class minehunters, the Leeuwin-class survey vessels, and the Paluma-class survey motor launches. The Government announced in 2017 that the OPV class will be named Arafura, after the Arafura Sea in northern Australia. The navigation bridge integrates all the communication, navigation, and sensor systems. It will also feature dedicated mounts, which can be armed with .50 calibre machine guns. The displacement of the vessels will be 1,640t. Keel laying ceremony for … The vessels can be customised to perform mine hunting, hydrographic survey, fisheries patrol, disaster relief, and unmanned aerial system (UAS) missions. «This is a much more capable class of ship with greater range, endurance, improved accommodation for the crew staying at sea longer and in every respect, it will outperform older patrol boats. The first two OPVs are under construction at ASC’s Osborne shipyard in South Australia and remaining ten ships will be built in Henderson, Western Australia, by Australian Maritime Shipbuilding and Export Group (AMSEG), a joint venture between Luerssen Australia and Australia-based shipbuilder Civmec. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. A third vessel may be procured under SEA 2400 to fulfill the survey although this is unlikely. The control system will be complemented by the on-board electronic warfaresystem. German shipbuilder Lürssen, through its Australian subsidiary Luerssen Australia, was chosen as the prime contractor by the RAN for design and construction of 12 OPVs in 2017. [13] The cost in developing and implementing the modular system is predicted to be offset by the savings in the areas of maintenance (having to purchase and maintain stocks to repair four different designs), personnel (having to retrain sailors when they transfer to a new ship), and administration. The Arafura class is a multipurpose small warship class for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The Australian Border Force (ABF) currently operates 8 Cape Class Patrol Boats, while the Navy operates two leased Capes. [13], While designing the Independence-class trimarans for the Littoral Combat Ship program, Australian-owned shipbuilder Austal also prepared a scaled-down version that could serve as the basis for the Australian OPV. The ships will be manned by a crew of 40 members and will offer accommodation for more than 60 passengers. Arafura Class OPV Program. The Arafura Class crews will be tight knit, executing very important missions that will ultimately lead to a great sense of camaraderie and achievement in doing something that’s worthwhile». The OPVs could be designed to carry a helicopter or an unmanned aerial vehicle to improve each ship's surveillance range, but this avenue is dependent on further study and cost-benefit analysis. [28], On 9 April 2020 the second ship in the class, HMAS Eyre, was laid down at ASC's shipyard. This is based on Brunei’s Darussalam class patrol boats that come with a perfectly good helicopter platform. [8] On 24 November 2017, the government announced that Lürssen had been selected. The OPVs in the class will be able to perform maritime patrol, response duties, and constabulary missions. «This is a much more capable class of ship with greater range, endurance, improved accommodation for the crew staying at sea longer and in every respect, it will outperform older patrol boats. [20] The 20 vessels originally planned to be built was reduced was later reduced to 12 following the change in their planned role. Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne said the multi-billion dollar project would see 12 … ASC Shipbuilding: OPV1 and OPV2, Civmec: OPV3 to OPV12. Although having a common design (which could be up to 2,000 tonnes in displacement), the ships would use a modular mission payload system to fulfill specific roles; primarily border patrol, mine warfare, and hydrographic survey. The Arafura class vessels will be interoperable with the fleet of Australian Border Force, Australian Defence Force units, and other regional partners to perform a range of missions. The Arafura-class is a custom Australian variant of Lürssen’s PV80 design, measuring 80 meters in length and displacing around 1,700 tons. On that day, it was also announced that the vessel would be named HMAS Arafura, and the class the Arafura-class patrol vessels. [1] In order to allow the ships to operate in conjunction with allied international forces, each ship is equipped with a unique electronic identifier transponder that allows for communication via the Link 16 network. The navigation bridge integrates all the communication, navigat… [1] A single unmanned aerial vehicle is carried and deployed from an open utility deck. Although the 2013 White Paper committed to the OCV as a long-term plan, it announced that an interim patrol boat class based on an existing design would be acquired as a short-term replacement for the Armidales, while the Palumas and Huons would undergo life-extension upgrades. Australia has marked another milestone with its Arafura-lass offshore patrol vessel (OPV) programme as two halves of the first-of-class have come together to form a … 9 April 2020 (Last Updated April 9th, 2020 12:15) The Australian Government has announced the keel-laying of the second Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) in Adelaide as part of the Australian Defence Force’s $90bn National Shipbuilding Program. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia NUSHIP Arafura (OPV 1), named to represent Australia's interests in the Arafura Sea, is the lead ship of the Arafura -class Offshore Patrol Vessels currently under construction for the Royal Australian Navy. Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel on Lurssen stand at PACIFIC 2019. [15], The Royal Navy has begun plans for a similar vessel under the Future Surface Combatant program, designated the Future Mine Countermeasures/Hydrographic/Patrol Vessel (FMHPV). The lead patrol vessel in the class, HMAS Arafura, is named after the Arafura Sea in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. [1] The ship's range is about 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km), with an endurance of 21 days. The Arafura class is based on four OPVs in service with the Royal Brunei Navy as the Darussalem class. The new OPVs are intended to replace the existing Armidale class and Cape class patrol boats, Huon class coastal minehunters, and Leeuwin class survey ships in service with the RAN. [1] Each vessel carries two 8.5-metre (28 ft) rigid inflatable boats and a single 10-metre (33 ft) boat, which are intended as the primary means of deploying offensive force in the ships' border patrol role. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds says the extra patrol boats will keep Australia’s borders safe while the Navy’s next fleet of larger Arafura Class offshore patrol vessels are brought into service. The vessel will feature an aft flight deck to enable unmanned aerial system (UAS) operations. [9], First made public in Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030, the 2009 Department of Defence white paper, the planned vessels stem from Government instructions for the RAN to rationalise patrol, mine warfare, and hydrographic survey assets into a single class of warship. SAAB Situational Awareness System (SAS) with Saab EOS500 electro-optical fire control director, AU$3.6 billion (US$2.77 billion) for 12 vessels (FY 2018), AU$300 million (US$231 million) per unit (FY 2018), This page was last edited on 27 December 2020, at 17:33. The OPVs will have a length of 80m, a beam of 13m, and a draught of 4m. The Arafura class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) are being built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The fleet of 12 new OPVs will replace the Armidale-class and Cape-class patrol boats and will primarily be used for constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. [1] The ships will be deployed with empty space available to install container-mounted systems such as aircraft support and sensors; if fully utilized, the gross displacement could increase to 1,800 tonnes. [10] It was originally planned 20 OCVs would replace 26 vessels across four separate ship classes: the Armidale-class patrol boats, the Huon-class minehunters, the Leeuwin-class survey vessels, and the Paluma-class survey motor launches, Instead of being capable of performing all roles simultaneously, the ships will have a modular mission payload system like the Standard Flex system used by the Danish Navy, or the system used by the United States Navy's littoral combat ships: mission-specific equipment will be fitted to containerised modules, which can be exchanged for different modules when the ship needs to change roles.