The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has taken delivery of the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), NUSHIP Arafura, as part of Project SEA 1180.
The Arafura-class OPVs are based on the PV80 design and are built by Luerssen Australia at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.
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The project will provide the Navy with six vessels, with the initial pair being built at Osborne and the subsequent four at Henderson, Western Australia.
Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment deputy secretary Jim McDowell said: “The delivery of the first of class vessel to Defence highlights Defence’s commitment to working through complex projects to deliver critical capability to our Australian Defence Force, built here in Australia.”
NUSHIP Arafura is now enroute to its designated homeport at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, where it will officially join the Royal Australian Navy fleet later in the year.
Prior to its official delivery to the service, the OPV will be put through comprehensive testing and assessment. The vessel conducted sea trials in August 2024.
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By GlobalDataThe OPV vessels’ primary function is expected to be to conduct constabulary missions, serving as the principal asset for maritime patrol and response duties within the Australian Defence Force.
The selection of Luerssen Australia as the contractor followed a competitive evaluation process that began in late 2015.
This process culminated in a contract signing in 2018, following a request for tender issued to three contenders in November 2016.
Construction of NUSHIP Arafura commenced in November 2018, signalling the initiation of a single-class OPV replacement for the current Armidale and Cape Class Patrol Boats.
In September 2023, the Royal Australian Navy decommissioned two Armidale-class patrol vessels.
The Arafura class vessels are set to join the broader Navy Minor War Vessel Fleet, contributing to civil maritime security and fostering enhanced engagement in the Southwest Pacific and maritime Southeast Asia regions.
However, the programme was previously reported to have encountered delays, leading the government to designate it as a “project of concern” in 2023.
