VLAR
HMAS Arafura

HMAS Arafura Overview

Country
Australia
Navy
Royal Australian Navy
International Callsign
VLAR
Pendant
203
Operation Crew
40
Commissioned

Arafura Class Design

Arafura Class
<--Procurement-->
Planned Ships
6
Delivered Ships
4
Project Cost
$
3580000000
USD
Cost Per Unit
$
USD

The Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) were designed to replace the Armidale and Huon classes as part of Project SEA 1180, representing a shift toward a more robust, long-range patrol capability. Based on the Lürssen OPV80 design, the class is built through a collaboration between Luerssen Australia and local partners in South Australia and Western Australia. While originally intended to be a 12-ship fleet with modular "mission hotswap" capabilities for mine warfare and hydrography, the program was refined to six vessels following the 2024 National Defence Strategy. Displacing over 1,600 tonnes, these ships provide significantly better seakeeping than the smaller patrol boats they replace, acting as a primary asset for maritime constabulary missions and regional engagement across the Indo-Pacific.

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HMAS Arafura Navigation Properties

<--Hull->
Displ.
t
Draught
4
m
Length
80
m
Beam
13
m
<--Performance->
t. Speed
20
kn
Range
4000
kn
<--Engine->
  • 2x MTU 16V 1163 M71 diesel engines (some sources cite similar MTU 16V variants).
  • Each engine is rated at 4,250 kW (approx. 5,700 hp), providing a total combined power of 8,500 kW (11,400 hp).
  • The engines drive two Variable Pitch Propellers (VPP), which allow for high efficiency across different speeds and better maneuverability during small-boat launch and recovery operations.

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    HMAS Arafura Armaments

    AU Arafura - G
    <--gun loaduout->
    Surface
    Anti Air
    Defence
    x
    1
    x
    2
    x
    x
    No items found.

    HMAS Arafura Fligth Deck

    <--Deck Specs->
    Deck Height
    Deck Lenght
    Deck Width
    Deck Area
    Commissioned
    <--Capasity->
    Holicopter Slots
    Holicopter Capacity
    Fixed Wing Slots
    Fixed Wing Capacity
    Commissioned