Australia Navy HMAS Maitland Retired

The Royal Australian Navy decommissioned the Armidale-class patrol boat HMAS Maitland at a ceremony at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin on Thursday 28 April 2022, Baird Maritime reported. The Chief of Navy presided. Defence Connect said she had served almost 16 years on border-protection missions and was the sixth of 14 Armidale-class vessels. The retirement formed part of the navy's transition from the Armidale and Cape classes to 12 Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels, which Baird Maritime noted have greater range and endurance.