It was named after the small village of Ladava situated on the shore of Milne Bay in Alotau District, Papua New Guinea.

[1][2] Propulsion machinery consisted of two 16-cylinder Paxman YJCM diesel engines, which supplied 3,460 shaft horsepower (2,580 kW) to the two propellers.

[1][2] The ships were designed with as many commercial components as possible: the Attacks were to operate in remote regions of Australia and New Guinea, and a town's hardware store would be more accessible than home base in a mechanical emergency.

[5] In February 1968, Ladava and sister ship Aitape traveled 231 miles (372 km) up the Sepik River in western Papua New Guinea.

[5] In a first for the PNG Division, HMAS Ladava became the first patrol boat to be completely PNG-manned on 18 June 1974, when Lieutenant Karry Frank took command.