Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel

KDB Darulaman at the Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review 2013. The Arafura-class is based on the Lürssen-designed Darussalam-class, operated by the Royal Brunei Navy.
Class overview
NameArafura class
Builders
Operators Royal Australian Navy
Preceded byArmidale-class patrol boat
Cost
  • A$3.6 billion (2018) for 12 vessels
  • A$300 million (2018) per unit
BuiltNovember 2018 – present
Planned6 (from 12)
Building6
Cancelled6
General characteristics
TypeOffshore patrol vessel
Displacement1,640 tonnes[1]
Length80 metres [1]
Beam13 metres [1]
Draught4 metres [1]
Propulsion2 x 4,440kW diesel engines[1]
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) (maximum)[1]
Range4,000 nmi (7,400 km)[1]
Endurance21 days[1]
Complement40[1]
Sensors and
processing systems		SAAB Situational Awareness System (SAS) with Saab EOS500 electro-optical fire control director,[2][3] Terma SCANTER 6002 radar,[4][5] Safran Vigy Engage electro-optical surveillance and fire control multisensor system[6][7]
Armament
  • 1 x 40mm Oto Marlin 40 autocannon [8] (cancelled)
  • 1 × Rafael Typhoon stabilised gun mount fitted with a 25 mm M242 Bushmaster autocannon (interim)
  • 2 x .50 calibre machine guns[1]
  • 2 x 8.5 metre sea boats[1]
  • 1 x 10 metre sea boat[1]
Aircraft carriedUnmanned aerial vehicle;[1] light UAV capability to be integrated under Project Sea 129[9]
Aviation facilitiesUtility deck[1]

The Arafura class is a class of offshore patrol vessels being built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). 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. 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 2013 Defence White Paper committed to the OCV project as a long-term goal, but opted in the short term for an accelerated procurement of an existing design to replace the Armidales, and life-extension refits for the other types. This resulted in the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) project and the number of vessels reduced to 12. However, this was further increased to 14 when 2 further Mine Counter Measures variants were proposed under SEA 1905.

Then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on 18 April 2016 that ship designers Damen, Fassmer and Lürssen had been shortlisted for the project.[10] On 24 November 2017, the government announced that Lürssen had been selected.[11]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Arafura ahead of schedule". Australian Defence Magazine. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  2. ^ "SAAB Receives Order for Australian OPV Situational Awareness System". Saab Press Release. 20 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Saab sensor system for OPVs". Australian Defence Magazine. 23 April 2018.
  4. ^ "SCANTER 6002 radar selected for SEA 1180 OPVs". Defence Connect. 7 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Australian SEA1180 OPVs to feature Terma's air and surface surveillance radars". Naval Today. 31 July 2018.
  6. ^ Scott, Richard. "Vigy Engage selected for Project SEA 1180 OPVs". Jane's Navy International.
  7. ^ "Safran Vigy Engage Selected for Australia's SEA 1180 OPVS". Monash Publishing Group. 5 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Navy Outlook 2020". Faircount Media Group. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Shortlist announced for Sea 129 Phase 5 - Australian Defence Magazine".
  10. ^ Anderson, Stephanie (18 April 2016). "Malcolm Turnbull says 12 offshore patrol vessels to be built in Adelaide". ABC News. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Hundreds of Australian Jobs Created in Offshore Patrol Vessel Project". Christopher Pyne. Federal Member for Sturt, Minister for Defence Industry. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.