The main armament of the Armidale class is a Rafael Typhoon stabilised gun mount fitted with an M242 Bushmaster cannon. Two machine guns are also carried. Boarding operations are performed by two , waterjet propelled rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs). Each RHIB is stored in a dedicated cradle and davit, and is capable of operating independently from the patrol boat as it carries its own communications, navigation, and safety equipment. Launceston was constructed by Austal at their shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. She was commissioned in Launceston, Tasmania on 22 September 2007.