Patrol Boat Group News

HMAS Childers Returns from Indian Ocean

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) HMAS Childers has arrived in Darwin after participating in Milan 2014, the biannual international naval event hosted by the Indian Navy in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from February 5-9, 2014. Milan 2014 was designed to increase maritime cooperation, interoperability and mutual understanding among navies of the Indian Ocean region. Key activities included a sea passage exercise, an international maritime seminar on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)…

Austal Starts Navy Boats

Production has commenced for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Armidale Class patrol boats. To be built in Western Australia over a 42-month period, the 12 vessel fleet will act as the principal maritime patrol and response element of Australia’s National Civil Surveillance Program. Project partners Austal Ships and Defence Maritime Services (DMS) held a ceremony attended by Senator David Johnston, Senator for Western Australia, representing the Minister for Defence, key personnel from the Department of Defence and Defence Materiel Organization and Patrol Boat Group Commander Captain Peter Marshall, to mark the start of production of the first ship in the class, HMAS Armidale.