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List of active Royal Australian Navy ships

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet is made up of 31 commissioned warships and 16 non-commissioned as of April 2024.

The main strength is the seven frigates and three destroyers of the surface combatant force: seven Anzac class frigates and three Hobart class destroyers. Six Collins-class boats make up the submarine service, although due to the maintenance cycle not all submarines are active at any time. The issues have now been fixed and five submarines are available for service. Amphibious warfare assets include two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ships and the landing ship HMAS Choules. Four Armidale-class patrol boats perform coastal and economic exclusion zone patrols, and four Huon-class vessels are used for minehunting and clearance (another two are commissioned but in reserve since October 2011, for sale as 2018). Replenishment at sea is provided by two Supply-class replenishment oilers, while the two Leeuwin-class perform survey and charting duties.

In addition to the commissioned warships, the RAN operates the sail training ship Young Endeavour, eight Cape-class patrol boats and seven ships making up the National Support Squadron. Other auxiliaries and small craft are not operated by the RAN, but by DMS Maritime, who are contracted to provide support services.

The majority of the RAN fleet is divided between Fleet Base East (HMAS Kuttabul, in Sydney) and Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling, near Perth). Mine warfare assets are located at HMAS Waterhen (also in Sydney), while HMAS Cairns in Cairns and HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin host the navy's patrol and survey vessels.

Submarines

Collins class

Australia operates a single class of diesel-electric submarines, the six Collins-class boats which began entering service in 1993. The Collins was designed by the Swedish submarine builder Kockums as the Type 471 specifically to meet Australian requirements, many of which were derived from Australia's need for great range without utilizing a nuclear propulsion system. The boats themselves were built in Australia by the Australian Submarine Corporation in Adelaide. The submarines are classified by the RAN as guided missile submarines (SSG), but are often referred to as hunter-killer submarines (SSK) in the international press. While these vessels represented a major increase in capability for the RAN, they have found themselves mired in numerous technical and operational problems. Meanwhile, the RAN has struggled to sufficiently crew their submarine fleet, with at times no more than two qualified crews available.

The Collins was to be replaced by twelve Shortfin Barracudas a conventionally-powered design of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine by French shipbuilder Naval Group that had been selected in 2016 and named the Attack-class. In September 2021, in a joint announcement, it was announced that the Attack-class contract had been cancelled, and that Australia would acquire up to eight nuclear-powered submarines with US and UK support through a new trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the US named AUKUS. In March 2023, AUKUS announced that Australia will buy three Virginia class submarines from the US, with the option to buy two more, with the first boat planned to be delivered to Australia in the early 2030s. AUKUS also announced that Australia and the UK will commence construction of a new nuclear-powered submarine class known as the SSN-AUKUS with the first Australian built SSN-AUKUS boat to be delivered by the early 2040s. Australia will reportedly build five SSN-AUKUS boats. The entire Collins-class fleet will now receive a Life-of-Type Extension.

Amphibious warfare

Canberra class

The Canberra class are landing helicopter dock ships based on the design of Spanish ship Juan Carlos I. The hull of each ship was built by the designer, Navantia, then was transported to Australia by heavy lift ship for internal fitout and installation of the superstructure by BAE Systems Australia. Designed to transport and land an amphibious force of up to 1,600 soldiers by landing craft and helicopter, the Canberras are the largest ships ever operated by the RAN. Lead ship HMAS Canberra was commissioned into the RAN in late 2014. The second ship of the class, Adelaide, was commissioned at the end of 2015.

Choules

The Bay-class landing ship dock HMAS Choules was acquired by the RAN in 2011. The ship was originally built by Swan Hunter for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and entered British service in 2006 as RFA Largs Bay. She was made redundant in the 2011 Strategic Defence and Security Review and sold to Australia. Choules represents a major increase in sealift capability for the RAN, particularly after mechanical issues in 2010 and 2011 forced the early retirement of the navy's two Kanimbla-class vessels, and put HMAS Tobruk in dock for an extensive refit.

Surface combatants

Hobart class

Australia operates a single class of air warfare destroyers (AWD). The Hobart-class AWD are based on the Spanish Navantia F100 frigate and incorporate an Aegis Combat System with an AN/SPY-1D(V)phased array radar. These combined with the SM-2 missile provide an advanced air defence system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150 km (93 mi).

Anzac class

There are eight frigates of the Anzac class. These were commissioned from 1996 to 2006 as part of a joint program with New Zealand, whose navy operates an additional two examples. Derived from Blohm + Voss' MEKO modular ship family and designated the MEKO 200 ANZ by that company, the ships were built in Australia by Tenix in Williamstown, Victoria. They are designated as helicopter frigates (FFH) by the RAN, and are designed to be capable of both mid-level patrol and blue water operations. In 2010, these vessels began to receive upgrades to their anti-ship missile defence (ASMD) capabilities.

Patrol and defence

Armidale class

For patrol of Australia's vast coastline, territorial waters, and offshore territories, the RAN operates four Armidale-class patrol boats. These replaced the Fremantle class from 2005 as the navy's primary asset for border protection, fisheries patrols, and interception of unauthorised arrivals by sea. Based on the Bay-class customs vessels, the Armidale's are significantly enlarged to allow for better range and seakeeping ability. Originally, twelve boats were to be built by Austal, but the establishment of a dedicated patrol force for the North West Shelf Venture saw another two ordered. HMAS Bundaberg was decommissioned in December 2014 after being extensively damaged by an onboard fire. Ongoing problems with the patrol boats, including wear from high operational use and structural issues, prompted the RAN to acquire two Cape-class patrol boats from the Australian Border Force.

Huon class

Mine countermeasures at sea are handled by the Huon-class minehunters, which began to enter RAN service from 1999. The class was based on the Italian Navy's Gaeta-class minehunter developed by Intermarine. Development was undertaken in partnership between Intermarine and Australian Defence Industries (ADI). The first hull was built in Italy, with fitting out the first and construction of the remaining five vessels of the class done by ADI in Newcastle, replacing the problematic Bay-class minehunters. In addition to the mine warfare role, individual have been deployed on occasion to support patrol and border protection operations. Four vessels operate out of HMAS Waterhen, in Sydney. An additional two ships were placed in reserve in October 2011.

Replenishment

Supply class

Two Supply-class replenishment ships were ordered in 2016, the ships are based on Spanish Navantia's design AOR Cantabria, these ships replaced the RAN's ageing replenishment vessels HMAS Success and HMAS Sirius. The ships are designed to provide fuel, food, ammunition, and other stores to RAN vessels operating well beyond friendly ports. The two vessels were built at Navantia's shipyard in Ferrol.

Hydrographic survey

Leeuwin class

Two Leeuwin-class survey ships were built for the RAN by NQEA of Cairns. Ordered in 1996, the ships were commissioned in a joint ceremony in 2000. They are capable of charting waters up to 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) deep, and carry three Fantome-class survey boats for shallow-water work. In addition to hydrographic surveying duties, since 2001 both vessels have also operated in support of the RAN patrol force.

Non-commissioned vessels

Young Endeavour

The sail training ship Young Endeavour was built as a gift from the United Kingdom to Australia for the latter's 1988 bicentenary of colonisation. Built by British shipbuilder Brooke Marine, the brigantine rig vessel is operated by the RAN, but is used to facilitate the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme; a sail training program for Australian youth aged between 16 and 23. A 10-strong RAN crew is supplemented by 24–30 youth on ten-day voyages, with 500 applicants selected every year through two ballots.

Cape class

Eight Cape-class patrol boats were built for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (now the Australian Border Force) by Austal between 2012 and 2015, as replacements for the Bay class. Following the loss of HMAS Bundaberg and hull issues with the Armidale class requiring an intense remedial maintenance program, two Cape-class patrol boats were leased to the RAN from late 2015 until the end of 2016. The patrol boats operate from HMAS Cairns and HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin. These vessles are identified with the Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) prefix, ADV Cape Fourcroy and ADV Cape Inscription retain the blue-and-red customs colour scheme whilst the Evolved Cape-class ships have a gray colour scheme. Two new boats were ordered on 2017 and the two leased were returned to the ABF.

National Support Squadron

In addition to commissioned ships, the RAN is supported by the National Support Squadron which is made up of vessels operated by Teekay Shipping Australia and crewed mainly by civilian mariners. The force comprises:

MV Besant (Submarine support)
MV Mercator (Navigational training vessel)
MV Sycamore (Aviation training vessel)
MV Stoker (Submarine support)
ADV Ocean Protector (Border protection)
ADV Reliant (Pacific support vessel)
ADV Guidance (Undersea Support Vessel)

References

Citations

Bibliography

Defense Industry Daily (23 April 2012). "Australia's Submarine Program in the Dock". Defense Industry Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
Defense Industry Daily (5 May 2012). "Australia's Next Generation Submarines". Defense Industry Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
Royal Australian Navy. "Current Ships". Retrieved 30 November 2014.
Saunders, Stephen; Philpott, Tom, eds. (7 August 2015). IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016. Jane's Fighting Ships (116th Revised ed.). Coulsdon: IHS Jane's. ISBN 9780710631435. OCLC 919022075.

Text submitted to CC-BY-SA license. Source: List of active Royal Australian Navy ships by Wikipedia (Historical)

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