HMAS Huon at Darling Harbour in January 2010
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History | |
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Australia | |
Name: | Huon |
Namesake: | Huon River |
Builder: | Australian Defence Industries |
Laid down: | September 1994 |
Launched: | 25 July 1997 |
Commissioned: | 15 May 1999 |
Honours and awards: |
One inherited battle honour |
Status: | Active as of 2016 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Huon-class minehunter |
Displacement: | 732 tons at full load |
Length: | 52.5 m (172 ft) |
Beam: | 9.9 m (32 ft) |
Draught: | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: | 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Endurance: | 19 days |
Complement: | 6 officers and 34 sailors, plus up to 9 additional |
Sensors and processing systems: |
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Electronic warfare & decoys: |
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Armament: |
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HMAS Huon (M 82), named for the Huon River, is the lead ship of the Huon class of minehunters operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The first of six ships built by a joint partnership of Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Huon's hull was fabricated at Intermarine's Italian shipyard, then freighted to ADI facilities at Newcastle for completion. She entered service in 1999.
The minehunter was temporarily deactivated for half of 2006, but reactivated for use as a border protection patrol boat, a role alternated with other members of the class. In 2011, Huon surveyed the waters around Brisbane following the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. In 2013, Huon participated in the International Fleet Review, and became the first minor war vessel to receive the Gloucester Cup.
In 1993, the Department of Defence issued a request for tender for six coastal minehunters to replace the problematic Bay-class minehunters. The tender was awarded in August 1994 to Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, which proposed a modified Gaeta-class minehunter.
Huon has a full load displacement of 732 tons, is 52.5 metres (172 ft) long, has a beam of 9.9 metres (32 ft), and a draught of 3 metres (9.8 ft). Main propulsion is a single Fincantieri GMT BL230-BN diesel motor, which provides 1,985 brake horsepower (1,480 kW) to a single controllable-pitch propeller, allowing the ship to reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). Maximum range is 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), and endurance is 19 days. The standard ship's company consists of 6 officers and 34 sailors, with accommodation for 9 additional (typically trainees or clearance divers). The main armament is a MSI DS30B 30 mm cannon, supplemented by two 0.50 calibre machine guns. The sensor suite includes a Kelvin-Hughes Type 1007 navigational radar, a GEC-Marconi Type 2093M variable-depth minehunting sonar, an AWADI PRISM radar warning and direction-finding system, and a Radamec 1400N surveillance system. Two Wallop Super Barricade decoy launchers are also fitted.