HMAS Shepparton (A 03)

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HMAS Shepparton (A 03) 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. They are Template:Convert long overall and Template:Convert long between perpendiculars, have a beam of Template:Convert, and a draught of Template:Convert. Propulsion machinery consists of two General Motors Detroit Diesel 12V-92T engines, which supply Template:Convert to the two propeller shafts. Each vessel has a top speed of Template:Convert, a maximum sustainable speed of Template:Convert (which gives a maximum range of Template:Convert), and an endurance of 14 days.

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. The vessels are unarmed. The standard ship's company consists of three officers and eleven sailors, although another four personnel can be accommodated. The catamarans were originally painted white, but were repainted naval grey in 2002.

Shepparton was laid down at Eglo Engineering's shipyard in Port Adelaide, South Australia on 21 September 1988, launched on 5 December 1989, and commissioned into the RAN on 24 January 1990. The ship was named for the city of Shepparton, Victoria.

Operational history

In January 2011, Shepparton was one of three RAN vessels deployed to survey Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River for submerged debris as part of Operation Queensland Flood Assist, the Australian Defence Force response to the 2010–11 Queensland floods.

In October 2013, Shepparton participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.

On 16 June 2023, HMAS Shepparton and Template:HMAS were decommissioned at Template:HMAS, with the acceleration of the Defence Strategic Review released in May 2023.