Australia’s first OPV prepares to go to sea
An artist’s rendering of Australia’s Arafaura-class OPV sailing at sea. (Luerssen Australia)
COVID-19 has impacted the original contract schedule of Australia’s new class of OPVs, but five vessels are currently under construction.
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) initial Arafura-class OPV is being readied to go to sea for the first time. In a significant feat of planning, five OPVs are simultaneously under construction in two disparate shipyards.
Luerssen Australia is prime contractor for Project Sea 1180 Phase 1, and its CEO Jens Nielsen told Shephard the company was preparing the ship to go to sea.
‘It’s going through a series of tests at the moment, and we are preparing for this, and then we want to deliver the ship – hand it over to our customer – towards the end of
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