Bay-class patrol boat

Bay-class patrol boat Botany Bay in Darwin Harbour in July 2012
Class overview
NameBay class
BuildersAustal
Operators
In service1999–present
Completed8
Active4
Retired4
General characteristics
TypePatrol boat
Displacement134 tons
Length38.2 m (125 ft 4 in)
Beam7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
Draught2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 16V 2000 M70 diesel engines
  • 1 VosperThornycroft bow thruster
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × Wiltrading Pursuit 640 vessels (USLC-2C Survey)[1]
Complement12 crew
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar:
  • Surface search: Racel Decca; E/F and I bands
  • Sonar:
  • Wesmar SS 390E dipping sonar
Armament1 × 7.62 mm general purpose machine gun

The Bay class is a class of eight armed patrol boats, built by Austal and used by the Customs Marine Unit of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. They entered service during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and are primarily used on border protection duties.

The class was due to be replaced by 2010, but a request for tender was not issued until June of that year. The availability of the Bay class ships decreased during the later years of their service life. After the Cape class began entering service, four of the Bays were offered to other forces; two each to the Sri Lankan Navy and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

  1. ^ Wiltrading Pursuit 640 Manual