HMAS Aitape (P 84) - Operational History

Operational History

Aitape undertook sea trials with sister ship Attack off Sydney, before heading for Papua New Guinea and arriving at the RAN base HMAS Tarangau at Los Negros Island, Manus Province on 3 January 1968. Primary roles of the new patrol boats were fisheries protection and sea training, but also undertook search and rescue, medical evacuation and monitoring of navigational aids roles. The ship's company was a made up of both Australian and PNG servicemen. Prior to the arrival of the Attack-class patrol boats, surveillance of PNG waters was conducted by small coastal craft and occasional visits by larger RAN warships, but the PNG Division was now able to chase and apprehend vessels suspected of illegal fishing.

Aitape was one the five Attack-class patrol boats of the RAN PNG Division transferred to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force's (PNGDF) Maritime Element on 14 November 1974 when the PNGDF took over maritime functions from the RAN. They formed the PNGDF Patrol Boat Squadron based at Manus. She served until 1982, when she was paid off to act as a source of spares for the other Attack-class patrol boats in PNGDF service. In 1995, she was sunk in shallow waters as dive wreck south east of Port Moresby.