A ceremonial plate-cutting, of the first aluminum for the RAN’s new Armidale class patrol boats, was conducted at the Austal Shipyard near Fremantle, WA. Under the $550 million contract, Austal/Defence Maritime Services was directed to provide 12 aluminum patrol boats over a 42 month period. These vessels will replace the Fremantle class patrol boats, which commenced service in the early 1980’s.