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HMAS Benalla (A 04)

HMAS Benalla (A 04) is a Paluma-class survey motor launch of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

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]

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]

Benalla was laid down by Eglo Engineering, on 25 November 1988, was launched on 31 January 1990, and commissioned into the RAN on 20 March 1990.[1] The ship was named for the city of Benalla, Victoria.

Operational history

In October 2013, Benalla participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.[2]

HMAS Benalla, along with HMAS Shepparton were decommissioned at HMAS Cairns on 16 June 2023, with the acceleration of the Defence Strategic Review released in May 2023.[3]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 28
  2. ^ "Participating Warships". International Fleet Review 2013 website. Royal Australian Navy. 2013. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  3. ^ "End of an era for inseparable friends" (Press release). Ministry for Defence of Australia. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

References

External links