![]() Rendering of Arafura-class vessel
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History | |
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Namesake | Arafura Sea |
Builder | ASC Shipbuilding |
Laid down | 10 May 2019 |
Launched | 16 December 2021 |
Status | Fitting out |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel |
Displacement | 1,640 tonnes |
Length | 80 m (262 ft 6 in) |
Beam | 13 m (42 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 4 m (13 ft 1 in) |
Propulsion | 2 x 4,250 kW (5,700 hp)} diesel engines |
Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (maximum) |
Range | 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) |
Troops | 60 |
Complement | 40 |
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 |
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Aviation facilities | Small flight deck; light UAV capability to be integrated under Project Sea 129 [1] |
NUSHIP Arafura (OPV 203), [8] 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. The ship is based on the Lürssen OPV80 design, and is being constructed by ASC Pty Ltd at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Osborne, South Australia. [9] It was planned that the ship would enter service in 2022. [10] However, as of March 2023, it is yet to be commissioned. The ship was launched at the Osborne Naval Shipyard on 16 December 2021. [11]