What Success Looks Like

The Commonwealth Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program

The Commonwealth’s Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP) is vital in shaping Australia’s strategic environment and responding to growing challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

The program is a $2 billion commitment comprising the delivery of new Guardian-class patrol boats, region-wide integrated aerial surveillance, and enhancements to regional coordination.

Under the PMSP, Australia originally intended to deliver 21 Guardian-class patrol boats to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste between 2018 and 2023. The new boats are designed to replace existing Pacific-class patrol boats that have been in service since the 1980s.

The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (Sea 3036 Phase 1) was awarded to Austal in May 2016 for the original nineteen vessels’ design, construction, and sustainment. An additional contract option was awarded in April 2018 for two further vessels to be delivered to Timor Leste.

The 39.5-metre steel monohull Guardian-class patrol boat was designed to meet Defence’s specific requirements based on a proven design platform that has included the thirty-eight-metre Bay-class, fifty-six-metre Armidale-class, and fifty-eight-metre Cape-class patrol boats previously developed by Austal for the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy.

The Guardian-class is faster and more economical. It can travel up to 3,000 nautical miles at 12 knots. It also has improved seakeeping and onboard amenities and greater operational capability for conducting border patrols, regional policing, and search and rescue.

Since late 2018, Austal’s Cairns Service Centre has coordinated local support for the growing Guardian-class fleet by incorporating a 1,200-tonne (80 metre LOA) slipway and a 1,120-tonne mobile boat hoist.

While Austal does not cover direct maintenance of the new vessels – that responsibility lies with the Pacific nations – Austal’s Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement In Service Support (PPBR-ISS) program includes a ‘reach-back’ service which provides a 24-hour support hotline, the delivery of spare parts where requested, and in-country support, too, where requested.

The boats also return to Cairns for service visits on a 30-monthly and 60-monthly cycle.

The first Guardian-class vessel was gifted to Papua New Guinea in November 2018.

In June 2022, it was announced that Samoa would receive an additional patrol boat to replace Nafanua II, which had grounded on a reef in August 2021 and was beyond repair.

In February 2023, it was announced that a 23rd boat would be built and gifted to Kiribati to supplement RKS Teanoai II, which was handed over in 2021.

In June 2024, Austal was awarded a further contract for two more Guardian-class vessels for gifting to Pacific Island nations.

Vessel allocation as of June 2024:

PNG – HMPNGS Ted Diro, HMPNGS Rochus Lokinap, HMPNGS Francis Agwi, PNGDS Gilbert Toropo.

Tuvalu – HMTSS Te Mataili II.

Tonga – VOEA Ngahau Koula, VOEA Ngahau Siliva.

Samoa – Nafanua II (Grounded and assessed beyond repair), Nafanua III.

Solomon Is – RSIPV Gizo, RSIPV Taro.

Fiji – RFNS Savenaca, RFNS Puamau.

Palau – PSS Remeliik II.

Kiribati – RKS Teanoai II, plus one to be named.

Federated States of Micronesia – FSS Tosiwo Nakayama, FSS David W. Panuelo.

Cook Islands – CIPPB Te Kukupa II.

Republic of the Marshall Islands – RMIS Jelmae.

Timor Leste – NRTL Aitana, NRTL Laline.