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A trio of the Royal Australian Navy’s Armidale Class patrol boats have entered Darwin for the last time as they retire from service.
HMAS Albany, Bathurst and Childers are scheduled for a ceremony commemorating their military service on 4 December.
The Armidale Class patrol boats were originally built by Austal Ships in Fremantle and delivered into service in the early 2000s. Fourteen deliveries of the 56.8 metre Armidale Class patrol boats were made to the Royal Australian Navy.
“This morning, the three remaining Armidale Class patrol boats – HMA ships Albany, Bathurst, and Childers – entered HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin for the final time,” according to a statement from the Royal Australian Navy.
“This milestone marks the end of an era and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Royal Australian Navy as we introduce the Evolved Cape Class and Arafura Class vessels, ensuring we remain ready for future challenges.”
The Royal Australian Navy has previously used Armidale Class and Cape Class patrol boats for the nation’s fisheries protection and marine environments, immigration enforcement, against illegal activity, customs and law enforcement operations.
They have also previously worked with other government agencies as part of the Australian Border Force and under the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to Operation Sovereign Borders.
