HMPNGS Ted Diro

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Ted Diro in the Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia on September 8, 2018

HMPNGS Ted Diro (P401) is the first Guardian class patrol vessel to be completed.[1] Australia designed and provided four Pacific Forum 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 replaced HMPNGS Rabaul P01.[3] Australia transferred the vessel to Papua New Guinea on November 30, 2018.[4][5][6]

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extension of maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 km (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.[7] 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 million Australian dollar contract for the project, and built the vessels at its Henderson shipyard, near Perth.[8] 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 m (129.59 ft) long, can travel 3000 nmi (5556 km) at 12 knots.[8] Their maximum speed is 20 knots.[6] Their design allows the recipient nations to mount a pair of heavy machine guns, on either flank, and possibly an autocannon of up to 30mm, on the foredeck.

Operational history

Ted Diro was the first Guardian-class vessel to have her keel laid in July 2017. She was the first to be launched, in May 2018.[9][10] She began her formal sea trials on August 9, 2018.[11][12] The patrol vessel is scheduled to be commissioned in late October, when her acceptance trials are completed.

On October 22, 2018, the Post Courier reported that delivery was scheduled for December.[13] Diro, head of the PNGDF Major General Gilbert Toropo and Angus Campbell, Chief of the Australian Defence Force, attended the vessel's commissioning, on February 1, 2019.[14][15][16][17][18]

In August 2019 two warships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force visited Port Moresby.[19] The Japanese vessels hosted the crew of Ted Diro, together with local VIPs, and her crew hosted visiting Japanese personnel on tours of Ted Diro.

On October 17, 2019, The Australian reported that Ted Diro's engines had broken down, and she had to be towed back to Cairns, for repairs.[20]

[21] [22] [23]

References

  1. ↑ Cedric Patjole. Australian ship named after Ted Diro, Loop, 2018-07-08. Retrieved on 2018-07-09.
  2. ↑ Austal Launched First Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boat, Navy recognition, 2018-06-20. Retrieved on 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 on 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. ↑ Fed govt gives new patrol boats to PNG, SBS News, 2018-11-30. “The federal government has handed over the first Guardian class patrol boat to Papua New Guinea.”
  5. ↑ AUSTAL DELIVERS FIRST GUARDIAN CLASS PATROL BOAT, Austal, 2018-11-30. Retrieved on 2018-11-29. “AUSTAL (ASX: ASB) today delivered the first Guardian Class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence and then in a handover ceremony, presented the vessel to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government.”
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gabriel Dominguez. Papua New Guinea receives first Guardian-class patrol boat, Jane's Defence Weekly, 2018-12-03. Retrieved on 2018-12-03. “The steel-hulled boat was built with space and weight considerations for a 30 mm naval gun as a primary weapon, as well as port and starboard mounts for 12.7 mm general-purpose machine guns.”
  7. ↑ PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG). Australian government (2014-04-03). Retrieved on 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.”
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hamish Hastie. Wrapped up with a bow: First Pacific patrol boat hits the water, Sydney Morning Herald, 2018-05-30. Retrieved on 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.”
  9. ↑ Nick Evans. Austal launches first of 21 Guardian patrol boat gifts for Australia's Pacific neighbours, The West Australian, 2018-05-31. Retrieved on 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.”
  10. ↑ Jacklyn Sirias. Aust giving PNG new naval ships, The National, 2018-07-03. Retrieved on 2018-07-09. “The Defence Force maritime section will be receiving four new naval ships from Australia to boost its surveillance capabilities.”
  11. ↑ Gabriel Dominguez. First Guardian class PPB starts sea trials, Jane's Defence Weekly, 2018-08-09. “Australian shipbuilder Austal announced on 9 August that the first Guardian-class Pacific Patrol Boat (PPB) had begun sea trials.”
  12. ↑ Austal conducts its first sea trial for Pacific Patrol Boats - Manufacturers' Monthly, Maritime Monthly, 2018-08-13. Retrieved on 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.”
  13. ↑ Miriam Zarriga. No talks on new base at Lombrum says Toropo, Post Courier, 2018-10-22. Retrieved on 2018-10-23. “Four Guardian class patrol boats will be gifted to PNG to replace the four with the first boat to be delivered in December and named after the first PNGDF Commander Retired Brigadier General Ted Diro.”
  14. ↑ Michael Arnold. PNCFG vessel named after Diro, Fiji Post Courier, 2019-02-05. Retrieved on 2019-02-05. “Brig-Gen Diro, who was present for the commissioning of the HMPNGS Ted Diro last Friday, along with Major General Gilbert Toropo (current PNGDF commander) saluted the gesture in what both men described as another illustration of the enduring friendship between PNG and Australia.”
  15. ↑ Michael Arnold. Patrol Boats Set To Upgrade Capabilities, Fiji Post Courier, 2019-02-05. Retrieved on 2019-02-05. “A small crowd assembled at Her Majesty’s PNG Ship (HMPNGS) Basalisk naval base in Port Moresby last Friday to witness the occasion, along with heavy landing crafts HMPNGS Buna, HMPNGS Salamaua and HMPNGS Lakekamu who made port to welcome their bouncing baby brother, HMPNGS Ted Diro (named after PNG’s first ever PNG commander, retired Brigadier General Ted Diro).”
  16. ↑ Papua New Guinea commissions Austal-built Guardian patrol boat HMPNGS Ted Diro, Naval Today, 2019-02-12. Retrieved on 2019-02-12. “More than $5 million worth of works have commenced at the Lombrum Naval Base in Manus Province to improve the wharf and shore-based infrastructure that will support Papua New Guinea’s four patrol boats.”
  17. ↑ Papua New Guinea Commissions Patrol Boat from Australia, Maritime Executive, 2019-02-12. Retrieved on 2019-02-12. “The vessel, named after the first Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force post-independence, is the first of 21 Guardian class Patrol Boats to be gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste under Australia's Pacific Maritime Security Program.”
  18. ↑ Sarah West. Pacific security bolstered as first Guardian class Patrol Boat commissioned, Australian Navy Daily, 2019-02-12. Retrieved on 2019-02-13. “Papua New Guinea’s former Pacific Patrol Boat, ex-HMPNGS Rabaul, arrived in Australia for environmentally responsible disposal in October 2018, and NUSHIP Ted Diro was handed over to Papua New Guinea in November.”
  19. ↑ Theckla Gunga. Japanese Naval Vessels Visit: Military and Culture Showcase, EMTV, 2019-08-06. Retrieved on 2019-02-12. “The Japanese Navy personnel were given a tour of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) vessel, HMPNGS Ted Diro (P401), PNGs Guardian-Class Patrol Boat.”
  20. ↑ Ben Packham. Patrol boat gift to PNG back under warranty, The Australian, 2019-10-17. Retrieved on 2019-10-15. “HMPNGS Ted Diro, built by Perth shipbuilder Austal, is limping back to Cairns for repairs accompanied by survey ships HMAS Benalla and Shepparton.”
  21. ↑ Austal (2017-07-31). Austal celebrates ceremonial keel laying of the first Pacific Patrol Boat. Press release. Retrieved on 2018-07-09.
  22. ↑ Austal (2018-05-30). Austal launches first Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boat. Press release. Retrieved on 2018-07-09.
  23. ↑ Australian Department of Defence (2018-11-30). First Guardian Class patrol boat gifted to PNG. Press release. Retrieved on 2018-12-01.
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