Guardian-class patrol boat


The Guardian-class patrol boats are a class of small patrol vessels designed and built in Australia for small Pacific Ocean countries.
The class is designed to be updated replacements for the s provided to its allies from 1987 to 1997. Australia provided twenty-two Pacific Forum vessels to twelve nations. They were designed to use commercial off the shelf components, to make them easier to maintain for the small nations that would operate them. Australia stood ready to help with training and maintenance, during the duration of the program, because Australia's external security issues were eased if it could count on its sovereign neighbours having resources to police their own external security.
Austal was commissioned to build 19 Guardian-class boats in 2016. Austal's contract allows it to market the design to additional customers. Subsequently, an additional two vessels were ordered for Timor-Leste, scheduled for delivery in late 2023.
Austal delivered to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force on 30 November 2018.
Her engines broke down, in October 2019, and she had to be towed to Australia, for repairs.

Roles

Like the class of vessels they will replace, these small vessels will allow Australia's small neighbours to patrol their own economic zones. They will be able to control smuggling, unregulated fishing, and perform search and rescue duties. The Guardian class will be slightly larger, will have better sea-keeping capabilities, and their electronics suite will be up to date.

Design

The Australian government called for submission in March 2015. Five consortia submitted designs for the class. Austal was chosen as the contractor in April 2016.
The vessels will be long, steel monohull design, capable of traveling at, with a maximum speed of. They are designed to berth a complement of 23 crew members. They will have a stern launching ramp for a pursuit boat. Austal will deliver the vessels without armament, but they were designed to be capable of mounting an autocannon of up to on their foredeck, and a heavy machine gun on either side of their bridge.
The vessel's twin diesel engines can provide. Sophisticated electronic engine controls will help conserve fuel.
One of the main deck staterooms, a stateroom with two bunks, is equipped with separate ventilation, so it can be used as an infirmary for infectious patients.

Delivery

The keel of the first vessel was laid in July 2017. That vessel was scheduled to be delivered to Papua New Guinea in October 2018. New vessels are scheduled to be completed every three months. The first vessel was commissioned into the PNGDF on 1 February 2019. The second was commissioned into the Tuvalu Police Force on 5 April 2019.
Austal's contract contains provisions to provide maintenance support to the client states, for seven years, out of its Cairns facility.
ImageNameCustomer Delivery CommissioningRetirementNotes
Papua New Guinea2018-11-302019-02-01
  • Hers was the first keel laid, on 30 July 2017. She was launched on 30 May 2018. She was transferred to Papua New Guinea on 30 November 2018.
  • Named after Papua New Guinea's first commander of the Papua New-Guinea Defence Force.
  • Jane's Defence Weekly reports she began her official sea trials on 9 August 2018. She was commissioned on 1 February 2019.
  • Replaced the HMPNGS Rabaul.
Tuvalu20192019-04-05
  • Launched on 26 November 2018, scheduled to be commissioned in April 2019.
  • Commissioned on 5 April 2019.
  • Replaced the HMTSS Te Mataili.
    • Tonga20192019-10-16
  • The vessel's crew may contain both men and women.
  • Commissioned on 16 October 2019.
    • Nafanua IISamoa2019-08-162019-10
  • The vessel's crew may contain both men and women.
  • May mount a deck gun.
  • Replaced the Nafanua.
    • Solomon Islands2019-11-082019-12-19
  • Solomon Islands will receive two vessels.
  • The first vessel will replace.
    • Fiji2020-03-06
  • Fiji will receive two vessels in 2020.
  • Fiji's first Guardian-class vessel, was named in honour of Savenaca Naulutuma, who died while serving on, during World War 2.
  • Savenaca was turned over to Fiji on 6 March 2020.
  • Replaced the RFNS Kula.
    • Palau2020-06
  • To replace the PSS Remeliik.
    • RKS Teanoai II Kiribati2020-0x
  • Teanoai II was launched on 24 April 2020.
    • Fiji2020-0x
  • Fiji will receive two vessels in 2020.
    • Tonga2021
    Vanuatu2021
    Solomon Islands2022-3
  • Solomon Islands will receive two vessels.
  • The second vessel will replace.
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Papua New Guinea will receive a total of four vessels.
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Papua New Guinea will receive a total of four vessels.
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Papua New Guinea will receive a total of four vessels.
    • Republic of Marshall Islands
    Federated States of Micronesia2022
  • Federated States of Micronesia will receive two vessels in 2022.
    • Federated States of Micronesia2022
  • Federated States of Micronesia will receive two vessels.
    • Cook Islands2022
    Timor-Leste2023
  • Timor-Leste will receive two vessels.
    • Timor-Leste2023
  • Timor-Leste will receive two vessels.