HMAS Bombard (P 99) was an Attack-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Builder | Evans Deakin and Company |
| Launched | 6 July 1968 |
| Commissioned | 5 November 1968 |
| Decommissioned | 12 September 1983 |
| Fate | Sold to Indonesian Navy |
 Indonesia | |
| Name | Siribua |
| Status | Active as of 2011 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Attack-class patrol boat |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 107.6 ft (32.8 m) length overall |
| Beam | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Draught |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) |
| Range | 1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 16 sailors |
| Armament |
|
Design and construction
editThe Attack class was ordered in 1964 to operate in Australian waters as patrol boats (based on lessons learned through using the Ton-class minesweepers on patrols of Borneo during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, and to replace a variety of old patrol, search-and-rescue, and general-purpose craft.[1] Initially, nine were ordered for the RAN, with another five for Papua New Guinea's Australian-run coastal security force, although another six ships were ordered to bring the class to twenty vessels.[1] The patrol boats had a displacement of 100 tons at standard load and 146 tons at full load, were 107.6 feet (32.8 m) in length overall, had a beam of 20 feet (6.1 m), and draughts of 6.4 feet (2.0 m) at standard load, and 7.3 feet (2.2 m) at full load.[1][2] Propulsion machinery consisted of two 16-cylinder Paxman YJCM diesel engines, which supplied 3,460 shaft horsepower (2,580 kW) to the two propellers.[1][2] The vessels could achieve a top speed of 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph), and had a range of 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph).[1][2] The ship's company consisted of three officers and sixteen sailors.[2] Main armament was a bow-mounted Bofors 40 mm gun, supplemented by two .50-calibre M2 Browning machine guns and various small arms.[1][2] The ships were designed with as many commercial components as possible: the Attacks were to operate in remote regions of Australia and New Guinea, and a town's hardware store would be more accessible than home base in a mechanical emergency.[3]
Bombard was built by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland,[4] launched on 6 July 1968,[citation needed] and commissioned on 5 November 1968.[4]
Operational history
editDuring 1978 and 1979, Bombard was one of two Attack-class vessels used to portray the fictional HMAS Ambush for ABC drama series Patrol Boat.[1] For this, Bombard's pennant number was changed to 83, to match the other patrol boat used, HMAS Advance.[1]
Bombard paid off on 12[citation needed] September 1983, was transferred to the Indonesian Navy and renamed KRI Siribua.[1][5] The patrol boat was listed in Jane's Fighting Ships as still operational in 2011.[5]
Citations
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Ships since 1946, p. 86
- ^ a b c d e Blackman (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968–69, p. 18
- ^ The patrol boat, Australian National Maritime Museum
- ^ a b Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Ships since 1946, p. 87
- ^ a b Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2011). Jane's Fighting Ships 2011–2012. Coulsdon: IHS Jane's. p. [page needed]. ISBN 9780710629593. OCLC 751789024.
References
edit- Blackman, Raymond, ed. (1968). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968–69 (71st ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. OCLC 123786869.
- Gillett, Ross (1988). Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946. Brookvale, NSW: Child & Associates. ISBN 0-86777-219-0. OCLC 23470364.
- "The patrol boat". Australian National Maritime Museum. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.