TSAMTO, January 27. Austal Australia has announced the launching of the 15th Guardian-class patrol boat, which will be built as part of the PPBR (Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement) patrol boat replacement project implemented by the Australian Government of the Pacific Island States.
The boat "Te Kukupa II" (Te Kukupa II), intended for the Cook Islands Police Service, was launched at the Austal Australia facility in Henderson (Western Australia).
Te Kukupa II is the first of 9 boats that Austal Australia will deliver to customers in 2022, including 5 Guardian class boats and 4 Advanced Cape patrol boats.
In 2021, Austal Australia delivered 7 boats, including 5 Guardian class patrol boats and 2 Cape class patrol boats.
As reported by TSAMTO, in May 2016, the Australian government signed a basic contract with Austal for the supply of 19 Guardian patrol boats as part of the PMSP (Pacific Maritime Security Program) maritime Security program in the Pacific region. The cost of the agreement amounted to 305 million AUSTR. dollars. The contract included an option to supply two additional boats, which was implemented in April 2018. Thus, the total number of Guardian class boats to be built by Austal has increased to 21 units, and the cost of the project is up to 335 million AUSTR. dollars.
The boats are planned to be handed over to the Governments of 12 States, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, East Timor and Vanuatu.
According to the schedule, the program will end with the delivery of ships to East Timor in the second half of 2023.
The new steel 39.5-meter boats will replace the "Pacific Patrol Ships" previously delivered to the island states of the Pacific region, whose service life is nearing completion. They will allow these countries to independently control their exclusive economic zone and ensure the protection of marine resources.
The first boat, (401) "Ted Diro", was handed over to the Government of Papua New Guinea in December 2018. The 13th boat of the series, the Francis Agvi, was transferred to Papua New Guinea on October 22, 2021.
