Delivery of the 10th Guardian class patrol boat RSIPV Taro by Austal Australia.

According to a press release published by Austal on May 10, 2021, Austal Limited announces Austal Australia has delivered the tenth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB), RSIPV Taro to the Australian Department of Defence.
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Guardian-class patrol boat RSIPV Taro (Picture source: Shipspotting-Australasia FB page)

The vessel, the RSIPV Taro, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Solomon Islands Government at a certificate signing ceremony held at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard, attended by His Excellency Mr Robert Sisilo, Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Australia; Mr Vince Connelly MP, Federal Member for Stirling and RADM Katherine Richards, Head of Navy Engineering at the Royal Australian Navy.

The vessel is the second of two Guardian-class Patrol Boats to be delivered to the Solomon Islands under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program, and follows the delivery of the RSIPV Gizo in November 2019.

Faster, with improved seakeeping, better amenities and an enhanced mission capability – including an integrated RHIB stern launch and recovery system – the Guardian-class Patrol Boats provide the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force with a much improved naval asset to carry out border patrols, regional policing, search and rescue, and many other operations domestically and internationally.

The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project was awarded to Austal in May 2016, with an additional contract option awarded in April 2018, taking the program to 21 vessels, valued at more than A$335 million.

Twelve Pacific Island nations including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor Leste will receive the vessels through to 2023.

The 39.5 metre steel monohull patrol boat – designed, constructed and sustained by Austal Australia – is based on a proven design platform that has included the 38 metre Bay-class, 56 metre Armidale-class and 58 metre Cape-class patrol boats that are in service with the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy.

The vessel is named after Taro Island, capital of the Choiseul Province, located in the far northwest of the Solomon Islands archipelago.

The Guardian-class patrol boats are a class of small patrol vessels designed and built in Australia for small Pacific Ocean countries.

Austal delivers the vessels without armament, but they were designed to be capable of mounting an autocannon of up to 30 millimeters (1.2 in) on their foredeck, and a heavy machine gun on either side of their bridge.

The vessel's twin diesel engines can provide 4,000 kilowatts (5,400 shp). Sophisticated electronic engine controls will help conserve fuel.