HMAS Norman (II) M84

HMAS Norman (M 84), named for the Norman River in Queensland, is the third Huon-class minehunter to serve in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by a joint partnership between Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and Intermarine SpA, Norman was constructed at ADI’s Newcastle shipyard, and entered service in 2000.

HMAS Norman (II) was the third of six Huon class minehunter coastal (MHC) vessels built for the Royal Australian Navy by Australian Defence Industries (ADI), Newcastle. The Huon class was the most advanced of its type in the world. Like her sister ships, Norman was made of fibre reinforced plastic and had a unique single skin solid hull that had no ribs or frames, providing high underwater shock resistance, and very low magnetic and noise levels. This hull was designed to flex inwards if an undersea explosion occurred nearby. All machinery and equipment was mounted on cradles or suspended from bulkheads to further enhance resistance to shock damage and protect ship systems.

In June 2009 it was decided that two MHCs would be placed into an Extended Readiness Availability. The two ships selected were Norman and HMAS Hawkesbury. The decision effectively brought an end to Norman’s operational career. Following a visit to Tasmania and Jervis Bay, she returned to Sydney in September where she remained until decommissioning on 31 October 2018.