HMPNGS Ted Diro

History
Papua New Guinea
Name: Ted Diro
Namesake: Ted Diro
Builder: Austal
Laid down: 2017
Completed: June 2018
Commissioned: October 2018
Identification:
General characteristics
Class and type: Guardian-class patrol boat
Length: 39.5 m (130 ft)
Beam: 8 m (26 ft)
Draft: 2.5 ft (0.76 m)
Propulsion: 2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesels, 2 shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range: 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)

HMPNGS Ted Diro (P401) is the first Guardian-class patrol boat to be completed.[1] Australia designed and provided four Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels to Papua New Guinea in 1987 and 1988, and in 2015 confirmed she would be replacing those vessels with four larger, and more capable, Guardian-class vessels.[2]

Ted Diro will replace HMPNGS Rabaul.[3]

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extension of maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 kilometres (108 nmi) Australia agreed to provide twelve of its neighbours with twenty-two Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels, so they could exercise sovereignty over their own territory, using their own resources.[4] The first vessel was delivered in 1987, and in 2015 Australia announced plans to replace the original patrol boats with larger and more capable vessels.

Design

Australian ship builder Austal won the $335 Australian dollar contract for the project, and built the vessels at its Henderson shipyard, near Perth.[5] Guardian class vessels were designed to use commercial off-the-shelf components, not cutting edge, military grade equipment, to make them easier to maintain in small isolated shipyards.

The vessels are 39.5 metres (130 ft) long, can travel 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h).[5] Their maximum speed is 20 knots (37 km/h).

Operational history

Ted Diro was the first Guardian-class vessel to have her keel laid in April 2017. She was the first to be launched, in May 2018.[6][7] She began her formal sea trials on August 9, 2018.[8][9] The patrol vessel is scheduled to be commissioned in late October, when her acceptance trials are completed.

References

  1. ↑ Cedric Patjole (2018-07-08). "Australian ship named after Ted Diro". Loop. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  2. ↑ "Austal Launched First Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boat". Navy recognition. 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2018-06-22. The first of 21 Guardian-class, Pacific Patrol Boats (PPB-R) was launched by Austal last month. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery to Papua New Guinea in late October 2018.
  3. ↑ "Army inspires more women to join navy". The National. 2018-07-05. Retrieved 2018-07-09. The four Pacific-class patrol boats will be replaced by the new Guardian-class patrol boats. The Ted Diro, named after a former PNGDF commander, replaces the HMPNGS Rabaul. The other three arrive from 2019 to 2021.
  4. ↑ "PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG)" (PDF). Australian government. 2014-04-03. Retrieved 2018-07-09. Help develop the PNGDF’s capacity to secure its borders, contribute to United Nations (UN) and multilateral peacekeeping missions, and cooperate with the ADF in areas such as disaster relief.
  5. 1 2 Hamish Hastie (2018-05-30). "Wrapped up with a bow: First Pacific patrol boat hits the water". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2018-07-09. The $335 million Pacific patrol boat program was awarded to Austal in 2016 and will see 21 'Guardian Class' boats built in WA and gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and East Timor as part of the Pacific maritime security program.
  6. ↑ Nick Evans (2018-05-31). "Austal launches first of 21 Guardian patrol boat gifts for Australia's Pacific neighbours". The West Australian. Retrieved 2018-07-09. The 39.5m patrol boat will be gifted to Papua New Guinea later this year, and is the first of 21 new watercraft destined for Australia’s regional neighbours under the program.
  7. ↑ Jacklyn Sirias (2018-07-03). "Aust giving PNG new naval ships". The National. Retrieved 2018-07-09. The Defence Force maritime section will be receiving four new naval ships from Australia to boost its surveillance capabilities.
  8. ↑ Gabriel Dominguez (2018-08-09). "First Guardian class PPB starts sea trials". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10. Australian shipbuilder Austal announced on 9 August that the first Guardian-class Pacific Patrol Boat (PPB) had begun sea trials.
  9. ↑ [www.manmonthly.com.au/news/austal-conducts-first-sea-trial-pacific-patrol-boats/ "Austal conducts its first sea trial for Pacific Patrol Boats - Manufacturers' Monthly"] Check |url= value (help). Maritime Monthly. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-15. Austal has commenced sea trials for the first of the Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boats, as part of the 21 vessels the company will be delivering to the government for the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project.
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