HMAS Huon (M 82)

HMAS Huon (M 82), named for the Huon River, is the lead ship of the Huon-class of minehunters operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Design and construction

Huon and her sister ships were built as a joint venture between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA. Intermarine constructed the hull of Huon, which was delived to the ADI shipyard in Newcastle, New South Wales, on 31 August 1995. The ship was launched on 25 July 1997 and commissioned on 15 May 1999.

Operational history

Following the 2003 Defence Capability Review, HMAS Huon and sister ship were slated for deactivation. Huon was deactivated on 23 March 2006, with plans to preserve the minehunter for four years should the need to reactivate the vessel become apparent.

Huon was reactivated in the second half of 2006 for use as a patrol boat. As of 2008, Huon and Hawkesbury were taking turns supporting border security operations.

In January 2011, Huon 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 2010–2011 Queensland floods.

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