The
Oberon class was based heavily on the preceding
Porpoise class of submarines, with changes made to improve the vessels' hull integrity, sensor systems, and stealth capabilities. Eight submarines were ordered for the RAN, in two batches of four. The first batch (including
Oxley) was approved in 1963, and the second batch was approved during the late 1960s, although two of these were cancelled before construction started in 1969, with the funding redirected to the
Fleet Air Arm. This was the fourth time the RAN had attempted to establish a
submarine branch. The submarine was long, with a
beam of , and a
draught of when surfaced. At full load
displacement, she displaced 2,030 tons when surfaced, and 2,410 tons when submerged. The submarine could travel at up to on the surface, and up to when submerged, had a maximum range of at , and a
test depth of below sea level. During the 1980s, the Australian
Oberons were upgraded to carry United States Navy
Mark 48 torpedoes and
UGM-84 Sub Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
Oxley was laid down by
Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at
Greenock, Scotland on 2 July 1964, launched on 24 September 1965, and commissioned into the RAN on 21 March 1967. ==Operational history==