Canberra Welcomes New Guardian-Class Patrol Boat to Strengthen South Pacific Security
Canberra has officially accepted the "Te Mataili III," the 21st Guardian-class patrol boat delivered by Austal, as part of a strategic initiative to enhance security for Australian allies across the South Pacific. The handover ceremony took place at the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Stirling base on Garden Island, where Tuvalu’s Prime Minister, Feleti Teo, received the vessel.
The Te Mataili III will serve as a replacement for Tuvalu’s previous Guardian boat, also named Te Mataili, which was damaged beyond repair following twin cyclones that struck the nation in 2023.
Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg expressed pride in the swift delivery of the vessels, noting, "Austal Australia has now delivered 21 Guardian-class Patrol Boats in just five years, which is a fantastic achievement and a great demonstration of the capability and efficiency of the Western Australian naval shipbuilding industry." He extended gratitude to all contributors involved in the success of the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project.
The Guardian patrol boat program, launched in 2014 with a budget of AU$2 billion (approximately US$1.3 billion), aims to assist Oceanian partners in tackling regional security challenges such as illegal fishing, smuggling, and fulfilling search and rescue requirements in their own economic zones. Prior to the Te Mataili III, the latest addition to the fleet was delivered to the Republic of Kiribati in July 2024. Recently, the Australian government committed an additional AU$26 million for two more boats, supplementing the original order of 22 vessels.
Austal’s Guardian design is based on the hull architecture of the Royal Australian Navy’s Bay, Armidale, and Cape-class patrol boats. The 40-meter (131-foot) vessel features an 8-meter (26-foot) beam and is powered by twin Caterpillar diesel engines, enabling a maximum speed of 37 kilometers (23 miles) per hour with a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 kilometers). Depending on requirements, the patrol boat can be equipped with 12.7-millimeter machine guns and a 20-millimeter remote weapon system.
With the arrival of the Te Mataili III, Australia continues to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing maritime security and supporting its neighbors in the Pacific region.
