Armidale-class patrol boat

	HMAS Broome
Class overview
Name	Armidale class
Builders	Austal
Operators	Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	Fremantle class
Succeeded by	Arafura class and Cape class
Cost	A$24–28 million per ship.
Built	2004–2007
In commission	2005–present
Completed	14
Active	5
Lost	1
Retired	9
General characteristics
Type	Patrol boat
Displacement	300 tons standard load
Length	56.8 m (186 ft)
Beam	9.7 m (32 ft)
Draught	2.7 m (8.9 ft)
Propulsion	2 × MTU 4000 16V 6,225 horsepower (4,642 kW) diesels driving twin propellers
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance	21 days standard, 42 days maximum
Boats & landing ; craft carried	2 × Zodiac 7.2 m (24 ft) RHIBs
Complement	21 crew standard, 29 crew maximum, maximum 150 persons onboard
Sensors and ; processing systems	Bridgemaster E surface search/navigation radar
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	Prism III radar warning system; Toplite electro-optical detection system; Warrlock direction finding system;
Armament	1 × Rafael Typhoon stabilised gun mount fitted with a Mk 38 25 mm (1 in) M242 Bushmaster autocannon; 2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns;

The Armidale class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for a class of vessels to replace the fifteen Fremantle-class patrol boats began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malaysia pulled out of the process. The project was reopened in 1999 under the designation SEA 1444, with the RAN as the sole participant. Of the seven proposals tendered, the Austal/Defence Maritime Services (DMS) proposal for twelve vessels based on an enlarged Bay-class patrol boat was selected. Two additional boats were ordered in 2005 to provide a dedicated patrol force for the North West Shelf Venture.

All fourteen vessels were constructed by Austal at Henderson, Western Australia. The first vessel, HMAS Armidale, was commissioned into the RAN in June 2005, and the last, HMAS Glenelg, entered service in February 2008. The Armidale-class ships are operated by the Australian Patrol Boat Group, and based in Cairns and Darwin. They are primarily tasked with border protection, fisheries patrols, and the interception of unauthorised arrivals by sea. The Armidales are longer

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