HMAS Mermaid (A 02)

History
Australia
BuilderEglo Engineering, Adelaide
Laid down19 July 1988
Launched28 September 1989
Commissioned4 December 1989
Decommissioned18 September 2021
HomeportHMAS Cairns, Cairns
IdentificationMMSI number: 503152000
Motto"No Task Too Arduous"
General characteristics
Class and typePaluma-class survey motor launch
Displacement320 tonnes
Length36.6 m (120 ft) length overall
Beam13.7 m (45 ft)
Draught1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Propulsion2 Detroit V12 diesel engines
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Endurance14 days
Complement3 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
ArmamentNone fitted

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

Design and construction

Main article: Paluma-class survey motor launch

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]

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. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 28

References

  • Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591149552. OCLC 140283156.