See main article: Attack-class patrol boat. The Attack class was ordered in 1964 to operate in Australian waters as patrol boats, replacing a variety of old patrol, search-and-rescue, and general-purpose craft. The design was developed based on lessons learned from the use of s for patrol duties off Borneo during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Initially, nine boats were ordered for the RAN, with another five for Papua New Guinea's Australian-run coastal security force. Subsequently, another six ships were ordered which brought the class to 20 vessels. The class had a displacement of 100 tons at standard load and 146 tons at full load, were in length overall, had a beam of 20feet, and draughts of at standard load, and 7.3feet at full load.[1] [2] Propulsion machinery consisted of two 16-cylinder Paxman YJCM diesel engines, which supplied to the two propellers.[1] [2] The vessels could achieve a top speed of, and had a range of at .[1] [2] The ship's company consisted of three officers and sixteen sailors.[2] Main armament was a bow-mounted Bofors 40 mm gun, supplemented by two .50-calibre M2 Browning machine guns and various small arms.[1] [2] The ships were designed with as many commercial components as possible: the class were to operate in remote regions of Australia and New Guinea, and needed to be able to utilise locally available mechanical components.[3]
Archer was built by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland,[4] launched on 2 December 1967 and commissioned on 15 May 1968.[4]
Archer paid off on 21 October 1974. She was transferred to the Indonesian Navy and renamed Siliman,[5] and was listed in Jane's Fighting Ships as still operational in 2011.[5]