Austal Australia converts patrol boat into unmanned vessel
Austal Australia is converting the former patrol boat HMAS Maitland into an unmanned platform. (Photo: Department of Defence)
The Royal Australian Navy is involved in converting a patrol boat into an unmanned vessel, while it also seeks new workboats and another LMV-M contender reveals its landing craft design for the Australian Army.
Austal Australia is transforming the decommissioned HMAS Maitland, an Armidale-class patrol boat, into an unmanned platform at its shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.
This work is occurring under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which is seeing collaboration between Austal, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
Austal has also subcontracted L3Harris to aid with the autonomous technology on the vessel.
Austal stated: ‘The trial will establish robotic, automated and autonomous elements on a patrol boat, providing a proof-of-concept demonstrator, for optionally crewed or autonomous operations for
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear]()
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
![Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule]()
Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule
The Royal Australian Navy has finally commissioned the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel – more than three years behind schedule – highlighting the programme’s delays, design compromises and ongoing industrial restructuring.
