HMAS Glenelg (ACPB 96)

Patrol boat of Royal Australian Navy

For other ships with the same name, see HMAS Glenelg.

History
Australia
Namesake| City of Glenelg, South Australia
Builder| Austal, Henderson, Western Australia
Commissioned| 22 February 2008
Decommissioned| 7 October 2022
Homeport| HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin
Identification|

* MMSI number: 503214000
* Callsign: VMFP

Motto| "Staunch in Defiance"
Honours and
awards| Two inherited battle honours
General characteristics
Class and type| Armidale-class 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 standard, 29 maximum
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 25 mm (1 in) M242 Bushmaster autocannon
* 2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns

HMAS Glenelg (ACPB 96), named for the city of Glenelg, South Australia was an Armidale-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

## Design and construction[edit]

Main article: Armidale-class patrol boat

The Armidale-class patrol boats are 56.8 metres (186 ft) long, with a beam of 9.7 metres (32 ft), a draught of 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in), and a standard displacement of 270 tons.[1] The semi-displacement vee hull is fabricated from aluminium alloy, and each vessel is built to a combination of Det Norske Veritas standards for high-speed light craft and RAN requirements.[2] The Armidales can travel at a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), and are driven by two propeller shafts, each connected to an MTU 16V M70 diesel.[3] The ships have a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), allowing them to patrol the waters around the distant territories of Australia, and are designed for standard patrols of 21 days, with a maximum endurance of 42 days.[3][2]

The main armament of the Armidale class is a Rafael Typhoon stabilised 25-millimetre (0.98 in) gun mount fitted with an M242 Bushmaster autocannon.[3] Two 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns are also carried.[4] Boarding operations are performed by two 7.2-metre (24 ft), waterjet propelled rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs).[2] Each RHIB is stored in a dedicated cradle and davit, and is capable of operating independently from the patrol boat as it carries its own communications, navigation, and safety equipment.[2][5]

Each patrol boat has a standard ship's company of 21 personnel, with a maximum of 29.[3][2] The Armidales do not have a permanently assigned ship's company; instead, they are assigned to divisions at a ratio of two vessels to three companies, which rotate through the vessels and allow the Armidales to spend more time at sea, without compromising sailors' rest time or training requirements.[2][6] A 20-berth auxiliary accommodation compartment was included in the design for the transportation of soldiers, illegal fishermen, or unauthorised arrivals; in the latter two cases, the compartment could be secured from the outside.[7] However, a malfunction in the sewerage treatment facilities aboard HMAS Maitland in August 2006 pumped hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide into the compartment, non-fatally poisoning four sailors working inside, after which use of the compartment for accommodation was banned across the class.[6][7]

Glenelg was one of two patrol boats ordered in 2005, following an 2004 federal election promise that the Coalition would provide a dedicated patrol force for the oil and gas producing facilities located off the north-west coast of Australia.[3][2][8] Glenelg was constructed by Austal in Henderson, Western Australia.[1] She was the last ship of the class to be commissioned, on 22 February 2008.[1]

## Operational history[edit]

She was based at HMAS Coonawarra, assigned to the Aware Division, and performs border protection duties.

## Citations[edit]

1. ^ a b c Saunders (ed.), IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2012–2013, p. 33
2. ^ a b c d e f g Kerr, Plain sailing
3. ^ a b c d e Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 22
4. ^ Heron & Powell, in Australian Maritime Issues 2006, p. 132
5. ^ Heron & Powell, in Australian Maritime Issues 2006, p. 131
6. ^ a b Kerr, Patrol boats shake down fuel faults
7. ^ a b McKenna, Gas risk remains for navy boats
8. ^ Heron & Powell, in Australian Maritime Issues 2006, p. 130

## References[edit]

Books

* Heron, Wesley; Powell, Anthony (2007). "Welcome to the Armidale Class". In Forbes, Andrew; Lovi, Michelle (eds.). Australian Maritime Issues 2006 (PDF). Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs. Sea Power Centre – Australia. pp. 129–134. ISBN 978-0-642-29644-3. ISSN 1327-5658. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
* The chapter is available separately as Semaphore, Issue 4, 2006 in PDF and HTML formats.
* Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2012). IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2012–2013. Jane's Fighting Ships. Coulsdon: IHS Jane's. ISBN 9780710630087. OCLC 793688752.
* Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC 140283156.

Journal and news articles

* Kerr, Julian (1 January 2008). "Plain sailing: Australia's Armidales prove fit for task". Jane's Navy International. Jane's Information Group.
* Kerr, Julian (8 December 2007). "Patrol boats shake down fuel faults". The Australian: Defence Special Report. News Corporation. p. 8.
* McKenna, Michael (2 January 2010). "Gas risk remains for navy boats". The Australian. Retrieved 7 January 2010.

Websites and other media

* "Commissioning of HMAS Glenelg – the fleet's final Armidale class patrol boat" (Press release). Department of Defence. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2008.

## External links[edit]

* Royal Australian Navy webpage for HMAS Glenelg

* v
* t
* e

Armidale-class patrol boats

* Armidale
* Larrakia
* Bathurst
* Albany
* Pirie
* Maitland
* Ararat
* Broome
* Bundaberg
* Wollongong
* Childers
* Launceston
* Maryborough
* Glenelg

* Preceded by: Fremantle class
* Followed by: Arafura class

* Australian Patrol Boat Group
* List of current ships of the Royal Australian Navy
* Bay-class patrol boat

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