The Australian Ministry of Defence has taken delivery of the first of six Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) from Luerssen Australia, an NVL Group subsidiary.
Under the SEA 1180 project, Canberra signed a contract with the German shipbuilder in 2018. As part of the agreement, the lead vessel NUSHIP Arafura began construction in November 2018 and was launched in December 2021.
Following its delivery, the first OPV will sail to its homeport at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia and undergo further testing and evaluation before being handed over to the Royal Australian Navy later this year.
“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,” said Deputy Secretary Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Jim McDowell.
Luerssen Australia collaborated with domestic shipbuilders, where Adelaide-based Australian Submarine Corporation OPV Shipbuilder was responsible for constructing the lead OPV and the second, NUSHIP Eyre, which was launched in November 2023.
Meanwhile, the remaining four — Pilbara, Gippsland, Illawarra, and Carpentaria — are undergoing construction at the Perth-headquartered Civmec’s Henderson Maritime Precinct in Western Australia.
Maritime Patrol and Response
The Arafura-class OPVs are intended to replace the Armidale-class patrol boats and support regional engagement in the Southwest Pacific and Southeast Asia as part of the broader Navy Minor War Vessel Fleet.
Its primary roles include maritime border patrol, constabulary operations, fisheries enforcement, and humanitarian and disaster relief.
Each vessel features a 13-meter (42 feet) beam, a 4-meter (13 feet) draught, and a 1,640-tonne displacement (3,605,780 pounds), accommodating a crew of 40 to 60 personnel.
The 80-meter (262 feet) patrol boat is powered by two 4,250-kilowatt diesel engines for a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 kilometers/23 miles per hour) at a 4,000-nautical mile (4,603 miles/7,408 kilometers) range.
Program Delay
Originally, the Arafura-class project aimed to deliver 12 vessels, but it was reduced to half in February last year following a series of delays and challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and strategic reviews.
The lead ship was initially scheduled for delivery in December 2021, with commissioning expected the following year.
However, an Australian National Audit Office report for 2022 to 2023 highlighted structural fire protection concerns and weapons integration challenges.
It noted that the main 40-millimeter gun was to be terminated, with plans to use the navy’s existing 25-millimeter Typhoon system until a replacement was identified.
After a long delay from its original timeline, the first Arafura OPV was finally delivered in January 2025.
