A hiccup has emerged in Australia’s relationship-building efforts in the Pacific after technical defects were discovered in a fleet of Guardian-class patrol boats delivered to island nations under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.
The $2.1 billion Program (US$1.45 billion), part of the wider Pacific Step-up initiative, promised the delivery of 22 patrol vessels to Pacific island governments.
The vessels are manufactured by Perth-based shipbuilder Austal, which also has a major shipbuilding facility in Alabama and are used to assist with maritime surveillance. So far, 15 boats have been delivered.
Australia’s Department of Defence revealed that several issues have been discovered over the past 16 months….