The second Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel has been launched in South Australia. It is the second OPV to be built by Lürssen Australia in cooperation with local partners for the Royal Australian Navy.
The Arafura-class OPVs are intended to replace the Armidale-class patrol vessels and have been designed for the Australian Defense Force’s maritime patrol and response duties. [ds_preview]
As part of the SEA 1180 Phase 1 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) project, a total of 13 Armidale-class patrol boats will be replaced by twelve new vessels. A competitive evaluation process (CEP) began at the end of 2015, with Fassmer, Damen and Lürssen bidding for the contract in November 2016. Lürssen was selected by the Australian government as the preferred bidder, and a contract was signed with Lürssen Australia on January 31, 2018.
The “NUSHIP Eyre” is the second of two OPVs to be built at Osborne Naval Shipyard and follows the launch of the “NUSHIP Arafura” in December 2021. The remaining ten vessels will be built by Lürssen Australia at the Henderson Maritime Precinct in Western Australia.
Several South Australia-based companies were involved in the program including Saab Australia, Raytheon Australia, ENGIE Axima, Penske Australia in partnership with MTU and Tasmanian company Taylor Brothers, which has established a subsidiary in Tasmania to carry out work on the project locally.
