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.
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