The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet is made up of 32 commissioned warships and 11 non-commissioned , with the non-commissioned vessels using the prefix of ADV (Australian Defence Vessel).
The main strength consists of three destroyers and seven frigates of the surface combatant force: three Hobart class destroyers and seven Anzac class frigates. Six Collins-class boats make up the submarine service. Amphibious warfare assets include two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ships and the Bay-class landing ship . One Arafura-class and six Cape-class patrol boats perform coastal and economic exclusion zone patrols, and two Huon-class vessels are used for minehunting and clearance (four have been decommissioned). Replenishment at sea is provided by two Supply-class replenishment oilers, while the final remaining Leeuwin-class hydrographic survey vessel, HMAS Melville, perform survey and charting duties.
In addition to the commissioned warships, the RAN operates the sail training ship Young Endeavour, five non-commissioned Cape-class patrol boats and eight individual ships make up the National Support Squadron where vessels are owned by the RAN but manned by a mix of RAN officers and Teekay Shipping Australia personnel under the Australia Defence Maritime Support Services Program (DMSSP). Other auxiliaries and small craft are not operated by the RAN, but by DMS Maritime, who are contracted to provide support services.Saunders & Philpott (eds.), IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016, p. 35
The majority of the RAN fleet is divided between Fleet Base East (, in Sydney) and Fleet Base West (, near Perth). Mine warfare assets are located at (also in Sydney), while in Cairns and in Darwin host the navy's patrol and survey vessels.
For over 30 years, the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia has been the main supplier of 'Tier 1 surface combatant' vessels to the RAN, having constructed the entire Collins-class submarine fleet and Hobart-class destroyer fleet. Osborne will further supply the navy with the currently under-construction Hunter-class frigates, as well as SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered attack submarines and Hobart-class guided-missile destroyer replacements. The Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia will supply the RAN with smaller 'Tier 2 surface combatant' vessels. These include Australian general purpose frigates, Large Optionally-Crewed Surface Vessels (LOSV), and Evolved Cape-class and Arafura-class patrol boats.
Submarines Collins class
Australia operates a single class of diesel-electric submarines, the six Collins-class boats which began entering service in 1993. The Collins was designed by the Swedish submarine builder Kockums as the Type 471 specifically to meet Australian requirements, many of which were derived from Australia's need for great range without utilizing a nuclear propulsion system. The boats themselves were built in Australia by the Australian Submarine Corporation in Adelaide. The submarines are classified by the RAN as guided missile submarines (SSG), but are often referred to as hunter-killer submarines (SSK) in the international press. While these vessels represented a major increase in capability for the RAN, they have found themselves mired in numerous technical and operational problems. Meanwhile, the RAN has struggled to sufficiently crew their submarine fleet, with at times no more than two qualified crews available.Defense Industry Daily, 23 April 2012
The Collins was to be replaced by twelve Shortfin Barracudas a conventionally-powered design of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine by French shipbuilder Naval Group that had been selected in 2016 and named the Attack-class. In September 2021, in a joint announcement, it was announced that the Attack-class contract had been cancelled, and that Australia would acquire up to eight nuclear-powered submarines with US and UK support through a new trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the US named AUKUS. In March 2023, AUKUS announced that Australia will buy three submarines from the US, with the option to buy two more, with the first boat planned to be delivered to Australia in the early 2030s. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. AUKUS also announced that Australia and the UK will commence construction of a new nuclear-powered submarine class known as the SSN-AUKUS with the first Australian built SSN-AUKUS boat to be delivered by the early 2040s. Australia will reportedly build five SSN-AUKUS boats. The entire Collins-class fleet will now receive a Life-of-Type Extension.
Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:3051 t surfaced3353 t submergedLength: Complement: 58 Submerged speed:Surfaced speed:Surfaced range:Submerged range: 6 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, firing:Mark 48 Mod 7 CBASS torpedoes,UGM-84C Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missiles, or RWM Italia smart sea mines Sonars:Scylla, SHORT-TASRadar:Type 1007Periscope:CK043, CH093 Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes SSG 73 27 July 1996 Fleet Base West SSG 74 31 January 1998 Fleet Base West SSG 75 10 July 1999 Fleet Base West SSG 76 23 February 2001 Fleet Base West SSG 77 23 February 2001 Fleet Base West SSG 78 29 March 2003 Fleet Base West
Amphibious warfare Canberra class
The Canberra class are landing helicopter dock ships based on the design of . The hull of each ship was built by the designer, Navantia, then was transported to Australia by heavy lift ship for internal fitout and installation of the superstructure by BAE Systems Australia. Designed to transport and land an amphibious force of up to 1,600 soldiers by landing craft and helicopter, the Canberras are the largest ships ever operated by the RAN. Lead ship was commissioned into the RAN in late 2014. The second ship of the class, , was commissioned at the end of 2015.
Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:27,500 t full loadLength:Complement:358 personnel (293 RAN, 62 Army, 3 RAAF)1,046–1,600 troops Maximum speed:Over Range: 4 × Rafael Typhoon 25 mm6 × 12.7 mm machine guns Aviation:6-spot helicopter deck 8 × helicopters (standard load)Boats carried:4 × LLC in well deckVehicle deck:Up to 110 vehicles Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes L02 28 November 2014 Fleet Base East RAN Flagship L01 4 December 2015 Fleet Base East
Choules
The Bay-class landing ship dock was acquired by the RAN in 2011. The ship was originally built by Swan Hunter for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and entered British service in 2006 as RFA Largs Bay. She was made redundant in the 2011 Strategic Defence and Security Review and sold to Australia. Choules represents a major increase in sealift capability for the RAN, particularly after mechanical issues in 2010 and 2011 forced the early retirement of the navy's two Kanimbla-class vessels, and put in dock for an extensive refit.
Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:16,190 t full loadLength:Complement:158 personnel356–700 troops Maximum speed:Range: 1 × Phalanx CIWS Aviation:Helicopter deck, no permanent hangar; temporary hangar can be fittedBoats carried:1 × LCU, 1 × LCM-8, or 2 × LCVP in well deck2 × Mexeflotes on flanksVehicle deck:32 tanks or 150 trucks Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes L100 13 December 2011 Fleet Base East In Royal Fleet Auxiliary service 2006–2011
Surface combatants
Hobart class
Australia operates a single class of air warfare destroyers (AWD). The Hobart-class AWD are based on the Spanish Navantia F100 frigate and incorporate an Aegis Combat System with an AN/SPY-1D(V)phased array radar. These combined with the SM-2 missile provide an advanced air defence system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of . Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:7,000 t full loadLength:Complement:186 + 16 aircrew Maximum speed:Range:48-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launch System2 × 4-canister Harpoon missile launchers1 × Mark 45 Mod 4 5-inch gun2 × Mark 32 Mod 9 two-tube torpedo launchers1 × Phalanx CIWS2 × 25mm M242 Bushmaster autocannons in Typhoon mounts Aviation:1 × MH-60R SeahawkRadar:Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-1D(V) S-band radarSonar:Ultra Electronics Sonar Systems' Integrated Sonar System Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes DDG 39 23 September 2017 Fleet Base East DDG 4127 October 2018Fleet Base EastDDG 4219 May 2020Fleet Base East
Anzac class
There are seven Frigates of the Anzac class (the lead ship of the class has been retired). These were commissioned from 1996 to 2006 as part of a joint program with New Zealand, whose navy operates an additional two examples. Derived from Blohm + Voss' MEKO modular ship family and designated the MEKO 200 ANZ by that company, the ships were built in Australia by Tenix in Williamstown, Victoria. They are designated as helicopter frigates (FFH) by the RAN, and are designed to be capable of both mid-level patrol and blue water operations. In 2010, these vessels began to receive upgrades to their anti-ship missile defence (ASMD) capabilities. Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:3600 t full loadLength:Complement:22 officers + 141 sailors Maximum speed:Range:5-inch/54 Mk 45 DP gun8-cell Mk 41 VLS8 × Harpoon Block II2 × Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes Aviation: 1 × MH-60R SeahawkRadar:CEAFAR radar system incorporating CEAFAR-S S-band multi-function radar, CEAFAR-L L-band long range search radar and CEAMOUNT X-band target illuminator (part of AMCAP upgrade being rolled out across the class)Sonar:Spherion B Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes FFH 151 12 December 1998 Fleet Base East FFH 15231 March 2001Fleet Base EastFFH 15317 August 2002Fleet Base WestFFH 1544 October 2003Fleet Base WestFFH 15526 June 2004Fleet Base WestFFH 1568 October 2005Fleet Base WestFFH 15726 August 2006Fleet Base WestHMAS Anzac decommissioned May 2024. Two additional ships built for and operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Patrol and defence
Arafura class
The Arafura-class is a new fleet of offshore patrol vessels being built for the Royal Australian Navy. Originally, the plan was to replace 26 older ships from four different classes with 20 versatile vessels under the SEA 1180 project, each designed to take on a range of tasks like border patrol, mine clearance, and hydrographic surveys using modular mission systems. However, in 2013, the government decided to fast-track the replacement of the aging Armidale-class patrol boats using an existing ship design, while extending the service life of the other vessels. This led to the current Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) program, which initially aimed 12 ships and a later proposal of expanded to it 14 with the addition of 2 mine countermeasure variants under a separate project, SEA 1905. This number was then reduced to just 6 of the original design as part of the 2024 Defence Strategic Review. Size Performance Armament Other features Displacement:1,640 tLength:Complement: 40 Maximum speed:Range: 1 × 25 mm M242 Bushmaster2 × 12.7 mm machine guns 2 × Boomeranger FRB 850 RHIBs 1 x Boomeranger C1100 Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport Notes HMAS Arafura OPV 203 28 June 2025 Fleet Base West HMAS Eyre OPV 204 30 May 2026 Fleet Base West
Cape class