Austal Australia delivers 20th Guardian-class patrol boat to Australian Department of Defence.

According to a PR published by Austal on July 15, 2024, the company delivered the 20th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence. The vessel, named Tobwaan Mainiku, is designated for the Republic of Kiribati and was officially handed over at Austal's Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
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Guardian-class patrol boat RKS Teanoai II. (Picture source: US DoD)

Since December 2018, the Austal Australia team, in collaboration with supply chain and defence industry partners, has delivered one new Guardian-class Patrol Boat approximately every four months. This consistent output highlights Western Australia's leading role in naval shipbuilding.

Beyond the Guardian-class patrol boats, Austal Australia has also completed the construction of two Cape-class Patrol Boats, six Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, and three large high-speed ferries for commercial use globally within the same timeframe.

The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, initiated in May 2016 and expanded through additional contracts in 2018, 2022, and 2024, now encompasses 24 vessels valued at over A$400 million.

The 39.5-metre steel monohull patrol boats, designed and constructed by Austal Australia, feature enhanced seakeeping, improved amenities, and advanced mission capabilities, including an integrated RHIB stern launch and recovery system. These features provide the Republic of Kiribati with a versatile and effective naval asset for border patrols, regional policing, search and rescue, and other operations.

Kiribati

Kiribati's defense and strategic landscape are heavily influenced by the broader geopolitical competition between major powers, primarily China and the United States. As a small island nation in the central Pacific, Kiribati's strategic significance has grown due to its location, which is increasingly seen as a potential asset in the Pacific theater.

China's engagement with Kiribati includes significant investments and infrastructure projects, such as the rebuilding of a World War II-era runway on Kanton Island. This project, while ostensibly for commercial purposes, has raised concerns about its potential military implications, given the strategic location of Kanton Island in the Pacific Ocean.

China's broader strategy in the Pacific involves leveraging economic investments and aid to gain influence, which has included efforts to establish closer ties with Pacific Island nations through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)​​.

In response to China's growing influence, the United States and its allies, particularly Australia and New Zealand, have increased their engagement in the Pacific. The U.S. strategy involves strengthening ties with Pacific Island nations through diplomatic, economic, and military cooperation. Initiatives like the Pacific Maritime Security Program by Australia, which provides patrol boats and aerial surveillance to improve maritime capabilities, are part of this broader effort to counterbalance Chinese influence​.