The Navy’s second LPA amphibious ship, the HMAS Kanimbla, is to be decommissioned, Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare has announced, following the early decommissioing of sistership HMAS Manoora in May.
According to Clare, an assessment into Kanimbla’s materiel state and a cost and risk assessment deemed that, “the most cost effective and lowest risk option is to decommission HMAS Kanimbla,” as required remediation work would cost in the vicinity of $35 million.
“HMAS Kanimbla would not on that basis be available for operations until at least mid-2012,” Clare said. “HMAS Kanimbla was scheduled in any event to be decommissioned at the end of 2014.”
Both Kanimbla and Manoora were placed on operational pause in September 2010 due to seaworthiness concerns.
To cover sealift capability gaps until the Navy’s two new LHDs are delivered, Defence is acquiring the former RFA Largs Bay, which is due to commission into RAN service as the HMAS Choules in Fremantle in December.
