Australia’s new fleet of Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are currently under construction at the nation’s world-class Osborne Naval Shipyard, located in South Australia.
The OPVs have been an important step in Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy, with construction commencing in Adelaide, before transferring to Western Australia when the Hunter class frigate program begins in South Australia in 2022. The program is estimated at around $4 billion and will create more than 400 jobs, plus additional supply chain opportunities for hundreds of South Australian businesses.
Following a competitive evaluation process, the Australian Government selected the subsidiary of German company Lurssen, Luerssen Australia, as the successful designer of the OPVs. They have partnered with Adelaide-based shipbuilding company ASC Shipbuilding to build the first two OPVs and Perth-based company Civmec will construct the remaining 10 new vessels. Adelaide-based Saab Australia will provide the combat management system on the OPVs, creating hundreds of high-tech defence jobs.
