HMAS Wollongong (ACPB 92)

History
Australia
Namesake	City of Wollongong
Builder	Austal, Henderson, Western Australia
Commissioned	23 June 2007
Decommissioned	8 December 2022
Homeport	HMAS Cairns, Cairns
Identification	MMSI number: 503210000 Callsign: VKPM
Motto	"Heed The Call"
Honours and awards	Six inherited battle honours
Status	Awaiting disposal
Badge
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 Wollongong (ACPB 92), named for the city of Wollongong, was an Armidale-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Design and construction[edit]

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.^[2][3]

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), named Wolf and Hawk.^[2][5] 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][6]

Each patrol boat has a standard ship's company of 21 personnel, with a maximum of 29.^[2][3] 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][7] 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.^[8] 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.^[7][8]

Wollongong was constructed by Austal in Henderson, Western Australia.^[3] Wollongong was commissioned into the RAN at Fleet Base East in Sydney on 23 June 2007.^[1][9]

Operational history[edit]

Operationally, Wollongong has spent the majority of her career on border patrol to Australia's north and north-west. The ship is assigned to Ardent Division of the Australian Patrol Boat Group, is based in Cairns, and performs border protection and fisheries protection patrols.^[10]

In July 2007, the ship became the first vessel of her class to visit the port of Brisbane, Queensland.^[9]

Following a request from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Wollongong was 'commanded' for a day in January 2008 by an 11-year-old.^[5]

In June 2012, Wollongong was one of several ships to respond to a Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel which sank with 206 passengers while en route to Australia.^[11] The patrol boat transported the 109 survivors found during the initial rescue operation to immigrant processing facilities at Christmas Island.^[11]

Citations[edit]

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.