Huon-class minehunter

Development and tendering

In 1993, the Department of Defence issued a request for tender for six coastal minehunters to replace the problematic s, of which four had been cancelled after the first two demonstrated problems with their sonar array and seakeeping capability. According to an article in Jane's International Defence Review published just before the tender was opened, three joint ventures between an Australian and a European company were expected to submit designs: Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA with the , Australian Submarine Corporation and Karlskronavarvet (later Kockums) with a lengthened version of the , and AMECON and Vosper Thornycroft with the . According to the request for tender, the designs had to be modified to operate in Australian conditions, and at least 60% of each ship and her equipment had to be of Australian manufacture. On 12 August 1994, Project SEA 1555 was awarded to ADI.

Design and construction

The design of the Huon class is based on the Italian ; specifically the second run of eight ships known as the Gaeta class. Each ship has a full load displacement of 732 tons (slightly greater than the Gaetas), is 52.5 m long, has a beam of 9.9 m, and a draught of 3 m. The minehunters' main propulsion system is a single Fincantieri GMT BL230-BN diesel motor, which provides 1985 bhp to a single controllable-pitch propeller, allowing the ship to reach 14 kn. Maximum range is 1600 nmi at 12 kn, and the vessels have an endurance of 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 on a Huon-class vessel is a MSI DS30B 30 mm cannon; this is 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.

For minehunting operations, the Huons use three 120 hp Riva Calzoni azimuth thrusters to provide a maximum speed of 6 kn: two are located at the stern, while the third is sited behind the variable-depth sonar. Mines are located with the minehunting sonar, and can be disposed of by the vessel's two Double Eagle mine disposal vehicles, the Oropesa mechanical sweep, the Mini-Dyad magnetic influence sweep, or the towed AMASS influence sweep (which is not always carried). To prevent damage in the event a Huon-class ship triggers a mine, the ships were built with a glass-reinforced plastic, moulded in a single monocoque skin with no ribs or framework. As the ships often work with clearance divers, they are fitted with a small recompression chamber.

Six Huon-class ships were built; all were named after famous Australian rivers (the names of which had been carried by previous RAN vessels).

Operational history

All six vessels are based at , which serves as the home base of the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group. HMAS Huon was deactivated in early 2006, but was reactivated later in the year, while HMAS Hawkesburys planned deactivation was cancelled so the ships could be used as patrol boats.

Apart from routine service in Australian and regional waters, a number of vessels were deployed to the Solomon Islands as part of the Australian-led RAMSI peacekeeping mission there. Operating as part of Operation Anode from 2003, vessels deployed have included Hawkesbury, Diamantina, Yarra and Gascoyne. As of 2008, Huon and Hawkesbury were taking turns supporting border security operations. Both minehunters were decommissioned on 31 October 2018.

Eventual replacement

Main article: Planned Australian offshore combatant vessel

Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030, the 2009 Department of Defence white paper, proposed replacing the Huons, along with the RAN's patrol and hydrographic vessels, with a single class of multi-role offshore combatant vessels (OCVs). The new vessels, which could displace up to 2,000 tonnes and be equipped for helicopter or unmanned aerial vehicle operations, will use a modular mission payload system to change between roles as required. In 2020, the Royal Australian Navy announced that the Huon class may be replaced with a modified version of the Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel.

Ships

Citations

References

References

1. (1 June 1993). "Australia plans new mine warfare force". Jane's Information Group.
2. (13 June 2006). "Defence Materiel Organisation – Sea 1555 Project". Department of Defence – Australian Government.
3. Sharpe (ed.), ''Jane's Fighting Ships, 1996–97'', p. 29
4. Saunders (ed.), ''IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2012–2013'', p. 33
5. Wertheim (ed.), ''The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World'', p. 23
6. (2003-11-07). "Defence Capability Review". Minister of Defence (Australia).
7. Brooke, Michael. (2006-03-23). "Huon deactivated". Royal Australian Navy.
8. Brooke, Michael. (2006-06-01). "Huons reactivated". Royal Australian Navy.
9. Dennis et al., ''The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History'', p. 270.
10. (24 August 2009). "Solomon Islands: Huon-class mine hunters". Nautilus Institute.
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12. Department of Defence. (2 May 2009). "[[Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030]]". Commonwealth of Australia.
13. (May 2010). "Australian Offshore Combatant Vessels". Sea Power Centre – Australia.
14. Thornton, Sean. (January 2010). "The Rationale for the RAN Offshore Combatant Vessel". [[Navy League of Australia]].
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16. Department of Defence. (3 May 2013). "Defence White Paper 2013". Commonwealth of Australia.
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18. Royal Australian Navy. (2024-05-30). "HMAS Huon (II) Decommissioning".
19. (6 November 2018). "Ex-Military Huon Class MHC Ships". Australian Frontline Machinery.
20. "FIRST LOOK INSIDE the 2 ex-Australian minehunters we bought to convert".
21. (6 November 2018). "Ex-Military Huon Class MHC Ships". Australian Frontline Machinery.
22. "FIRST LOOK INSIDE the 2 ex-Australian minehunters we bought to convert".
23. Dougherty, Robert. (2024-11-11). "Mine hunter HMAS Gascoyne II makes final visit before decommissioning".
24. (2013). "Participating Warships". Royal Australian Navy.
25. (2013). "Participating Warships". Royal Australian Navy.