HMAS Mermaid (A 02)

Last updated

History
Naval Ensign of Australia.svgAustralia
Builder: Eglo Engineering, Adelaide
Laid down: 19 July 1988
Launched: 28 September 1989
Commissioned: 4 December 1989
Identification: MMSI number: 503152000
Motto: "No Task Too Arduous"
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Paluma-class survey motor launch
Displacement: 320 tonnes
Length: 36.6 m (120 ft) length overall
Beam: 13.7 m (45 ft)
Draught: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Propulsion: 2 Detroit V12 diesel engines
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range: 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Endurance: 14 days
Complement: 3 officers, 11 sailors (plus accommodation for 4 additional)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar:
  • JRC JMA-3710-6 navigational radar
  • Sonars:
  • ELAC LAZ 72 side-scan mapping sonar
  • Skipper 113 hull-mounted scanning sonar
Armament: None fitted

HMAS Mermaid (A 02) is a Paluma-class survey motor launch serving in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Royal Australian Navy naval warfare branch of the Australian Defence Force

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force, called the Commonwealth Naval Forces. Originally intended for local defence, the navy was granted the title of 'Royal Australian Navy' in 1911, and became increasingly responsible for defence of the region.

Contents

Design and construction

The Paluma-class vessels have a full load displacement of 320 tonnes. [1] They are 36.6 metres (120 ft) long overall and 36 metres (118 ft) long between perpendiculars, have a beam of 13.7 metres (45 ft), and a draught of 1.9 metres (6 ft 3 in). [1] Propulsion machinery consists of two General Motors Detroit Diesel 12V-92T engines, which supply 1,290 brake horsepower (960 kW) to the two propeller shafts. [1] Each vessel has a top speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph), a maximum sustainable speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (which gives a maximum range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi)), and an endurance of 14 days. [1]

Length overall maximum length of a vessels hull measured parallel to the waterline

Length overall is the maximum length of a vessel's hull measured parallel to the waterline. This length is important while docking the ship. It is the most commonly used way of expressing the size of a ship, and is also used for calculating the cost of a marina berth.

The sensor suite of a Paluma-class launch consists of a JRC JMA-3710-6 navigational radar, an ELAC LAZ 72 side-scan mapping sonar, and a Skipper 113 hull-mounted scanning sonar. [1] The vessels are unarmed. [1] The standard ship's company consists of three officers and eleven sailors, although another four personnel can be accommodated. [1] The catamarans were originally painted white, but were repainted naval grey in 2002. [1]

Side-scan sonar

Side-scan sonar is a category of sonar system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor.

Constructed by Eglo Engineering, Mermaid was laid down on 19 July 1988, launched on 28 September 1989, and commissioned into the RAN on 4 December 1989. [1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 28

Related Research Articles

HMPNGS <i>Buna</i>

HMPNGS Buna is a Balikpapan-class heavy landing craft operated by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). Prior to 1974, the vessel was called HMAS Buna and was operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMPNGS Salamaua is a Balikpapan-class heavy landing craft operated by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). Prior to 1974, the vessel was called HMAS Salamaua and was operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS <i>Leeuwin</i> (A 245) Leeuwin-class survey vessel

HMAS Leeuwin is the lead ship of the Leeuwin class of hydrographic survey vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

<i>Huon</i>-class minehunter group of minehunters built for the Royal Australian Navy

The Huon-class minehunter coastal (MHC) ships are a group of minehunters built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Following problems with the Bay-class minehunters, a request for tender was issued in 1993 for a class of six coastal minehunters under the project designation SEA 1555. The tender was awarded in 1994 to the partnership of Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, which was offering a variant of the Italian Gaeta-class minehunter.

HMAS <i>Huon</i> (M 82) ship of the Huon-class of minehunters operated by the Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Huon, 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.

HMAS Shepparton is a Paluma-class survey motor launch of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

<i>Leeuwin</i>-class survey vessel

The Leeuwin class is a two-ship class of hydrographic survey vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Leeuwin and Melville were ordered from NQEA Australia in 1996, and were commissioned in 2000. The ships are capable of charting waters up to 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) deep, carry three Fantome class survey boats, and can operate an AS 350B Squirrel helicopter. In addition to surveying duties, since 2001 both vessels have been used to supplement the RAN patrol force. Leeuwin and Melville are based at HMAS Cairns, and are active as of 2019.

HMAS <i>Diamantina</i> (M 86) Australian Navy ship, M 86

HMAS Diamantina, named after the Diamantina River, is a Huon-class minehunter currently serving in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by a joint partnership between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Diamantina was constructed at ADI's Newcastle shipyard, and entered service in 2000.

HMAS <i>Melville</i> (A 246)

HMAS Melville is the second ship of the Leeuwin class of hydrographic survey vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS <i>Norman</i> (M 84)

HMAS Norman, named for the Norman River in Queensland, is the third Huon-class minehunter to serve in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by a joint partnership between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Norman was constructed at ADI's Newcastle shipyard, and entered service in 2000.

HMAS <i>Paluma</i> (A 01)

HMAS Paluma is the lead ship of the Paluma-class survey motor launches operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS <i>Benalla</i> (A 04)

HMAS Benalla is a Paluma-class survey motor launch of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS <i>Childers</i> (ACPB 93) Armidale-class patrol boat

HMAS Childers is an Armidale-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Named for the towns of Childers, Queensland and Childers, Victoria, Childers is the only ship in the RAN to be named after two towns.

HMAS <i>Gascoyne</i> (M 85)

HMAS Gascoyne, named for the Gascoyne River, is the fourth of six Huon-class minehunters constructed for and currently in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by a joint partnership between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Gascoyne was constructed at ADI's Newcastle shipyard, and entered service in 2000.

HMAS Glenelg, named for the city of Glenelg, South Australia is an Armidale-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS <i>Hawkesbury</i> (M 83)

HMAS Hawkesbury, named for the Hawkesbury River, is the second Huon-class minehunter to have been built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by a joint partnership between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Hawkesbury was constructed at ADI's Newcastle shipyard, and entered service in 2000.

<i>Paluma</i>-class motor launch

The Paluma-class motor launch is a class of four hydrographic survey motor launches operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built in Port Adelaide between 1988 and 1990, the four catamarans are primarily based at HMAS Cairns in Cairns, Queensland, and operate in pairs to survey the waters of northern Australia.

Seahorse Mercator

Seahorse Mercator is a navigational training vessel operated by Defence Maritime Services under contract to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She is a modified version of the Pacific class patrol boat design and is based at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney.

<i>Fantome</i>-class survey motor boat

The Fantome class is a class of eight small survey motor boats (SMBs) operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and DMS Maritime. The four-man boats are designed to operate from the Leeuwin-class survey vessels, with three assigned to each ship, while the seventh and eighth were attached to the RAN Hydrographic School at HMAS Penguin. They are fitted with navigational and survey equipment and are unarmed.

TRV Tailor (803) was one of three Torpedo Recovery Vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Defence Maritime Services (DMS). Ordered in 1969, the vessel, originally identified as TRV 255, was completed in 1971 and assigned to the naval base HMAS Waterhen in Sydney. The ship received a name and the pennant number "TRV 803" in 1983. In 1988, the three vessels were sold to DMS. Tailor was assigned to the naval base HMAS Creswell in Western Australia. Tailor was decommissioned in 2018.

References

International Standard Book Number Unique numeric book identifier

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier which is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency.

OCLC global library cooperative

OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Incorporated d/b/a OCLC is an American nonprofit cooperative organization "dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing information costs". It was founded in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the largest online public access catalog (OPAC) in the world. OCLC is funded mainly by the fees that libraries have to pay for its services. OCLC also maintains the Dewey Decimal Classification system.