Timor-Leste to receive two patrol boats from Australia
Australia will gift two new patrol boats to Timor-Leste under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 19 April.
The provision of the vessels was agreed between the Australian and Timorese governments in November 2017.
Minister for Defence, Marise Payne said: ‘The boats will be sovereign capabilities of Timor-Leste, with Australian advisory, maintenance, infrastructure, and other support. This enduring assistance makes this agreement a 30 year commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s security and prosperity.
‘This package will build on our existing maritime security cooperation with Timor-Leste as part of our longstanding bilateral defence cooperation programme.’
Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project is worth over $300 million. A total of 21 Guardian-class patrol boats will built by Austal and delivered to 13 nations from late 2018. The two vessels for Timor-Leste will arrive in the second half of 2023.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
Airbus wins €480 million contract to build communications network for French air and naval forces
The IP Network, named RIFAN 3, will build on the work of previous RIFAN 2 network, with development work carried out on the new system between 2026 to 2030.
-
Kongsberg’s large uncrewed vehicle to join US Navy
The company’s Hugin Superior system has passed its acceptance testing just a year into its contract with the Defense Innovation Unit.
-
Construction of the Canadian Coast Guard’s largest vessel to start this summer
The project of the CCGS Arpatuuq Polar Icebreaker is currently concluding design details.
-
Latest undersea cable damage incident investigated in Baltic Sea
No determination has yet been made as to whether the new incident was deliberate, but an investigation by Swedish authorities is ongoing.