Tuvalu receives Guardian-class patrol boat
The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has handed over a Guardian-class patrol boat, Te Mataili II, to Tuvalu under Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement project.
The boat is the second of 21 Guardian-class patrol boats that will be gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
The vessel will support the government of Tuvalu's ability to carry out maritime surveillance and law enforcement operations.
The Guardian-class patrol boats are being built by Austal. The Australian Department of Defence gifted the first Guardian-class patrol boat to Papua New Guinea on 30 November 2018. The last vessel will be gifted to Timor-Leste in October 2023.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![As Indonesia doubles up its order, who else is looking at the Arrowhead 140 frigate design?]()
As Indonesia doubles up its order, who else is looking at the Arrowhead 140 frigate design?
The adaptable design of Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 frigate, already selected by the UK Royal Navy and Poland, has led to more orders from Indonesia while other countries continue to weigh it up.
-
![How far will the US Navy’s FF(X) design deviate from the Legend-class?]()
How far will the US Navy’s FF(X) design deviate from the Legend-class?
The new frigate class’s focus on modularity, speed to build and enhanced armament align with the priorities of the US Navy’s Golden Fleet.
-
![How China’s naval advancements are pushing the US Navy to innovate]()
How China’s naval advancements are pushing the US Navy to innovate
The US Navy is set to invest $30 billion in artificial intelligence, cyber, space and autonomy research and development efforts in FY2026 as the force rethinks how it fights in light of China’s naval rise.
