See main article: Armidale-class patrol boat. The Armidale class patrol boats are long, with a beam of, a draught of, and a standard displacement of 270 tons.[1] The semi-displacement vee hull is fabricated from aluminium alloy, and each vessel is built to a combination of Det Norske Veritas standards for high-speed light craft and RAN requirements.[2] The Armidales can travel at a maximum speed of, and are driven by two propeller shafts, each connected to an MTU 16V M70 diesel. The ships have a range of at, allowing them to patrol the waters around the distant territories of Australia, and are designed for standard patrols of 21 days, with a maximum endurance of 42 days.[2]
The main armament of the Armidale class is a Rafael Typhoon stabilised 25mm gun mount fitted with an M242 Bushmaster autocannon. Two 12.7mm machine guns are also carried.[3] Boarding operations are performed by two 7.2m (23.6feet), waterjet propelled rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs).[2] Each RHIB is stored in a dedicated cradle and davit, and is capable of operating independently from the patrol boat as it carries its own communications, navigation, and safety equipment.[2] [4]
Each patrol boat has a standard ship's company of 21 personnel, with a maximum of 29.[5] [2] The Armidales do not have a permanently assigned ship's company; instead, they are assigned to divisions at a ratio of two vessels to three companies, which rotate through the vessels and allow the Armidales to spend more time at sea, without compromising sailors' rest time or training requirements.[2] [6] A 20-berth auxiliary accommodation compartment was included in the design for the transportation of soldiers, illegal fishermen, or unauthorised arrivals; in the latter two cases, the compartment could be secured from the outside.[7] However, a malfunction in the sewerage treatment facilities aboard in August 2006 pumped hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide into the compartment, non-fatally poisoning four sailors working inside, after which use of the compartment for accommodation was banned across the class.[6] [7]
Bathurst was constructed by Austal at their shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.[1] She was commissioned into the RAN in Darwin on 10 February 2006.[1] [8]
Bathurst is based in Darwin and performs border protection and fisheries protection patrols.
On 30 November 2012, an armed intruder boarded Bathurst while she was berthed at .[9] The intruder subdued the sailor on duty, before stealing two rifles and twelve pistols from the ship's armoury and escaping.[9] The weapons were recovered the following day, and by 21 December, two men had been arrested: a sailor charged with the actual robbery, and a civilian found in possession of the stolen guns.[10] [11]
Defence Special Report
. News Corporation . 8 . 8 December 2007.