Australia commissions first Arafura-class OPV

The first Arafura-class OPV is seen arriving at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia ahead of its commissioning. (Australia Department of Defence)

Australia commissioned its first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) on 28 June, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said in a statement the same day.

The vessel was inducted into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at a commissioning ceremony in Western Australia and is now in service as HMAS Arafura with pennant number 203.

It was built by German shipbuilder Luerssen Australia at the Osborne Shipyard in South Australia and first took to the water in December 2021.

The DoD statement said that the Arafura class would be deployed alongside the country's Evolved Cape class.

Roles that will be undertaken by the Arafura-class OPVs include naval diplomacy and humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

“These new capabilities have a greater range of 4,000 nautical miles and can perform roles that previously required numerous vessels,” the statement added.

“These OPVs will also have improved living quarters and amenities to better support personnel,” it added.

Arafura is the first vessel delivered under Australia's Project Sea 1180, which will see the RAN be equipped with a class of six OPVs.

The class has a standard displacement of 1,640 tonnes, an overall length of 80 m, an overall beam of 13 m, and a hull draught of 4 m.

Powered by two 8,500 kW diesel engines, the OPV can attain a maximum speed of 20 kt with a standard range of 4,000 n miles at 12 kt.

In addition to helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the OPV can also carry two 8.5 m and one 10.5 m rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) for maritime interdiction operations.