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Australia has delivered a new Guardian Class patrol boat to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, marking a significant milestone in Canberra’s long-running effort to bolster maritime security across the Pacific.
The vessel, RMIS Jelmae, was formally handed over during a ceremony at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, with Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko accepting the ship on behalf of his government.
The delivery strengthens the Marshall Islands’ ability to patrol and protect its vast exclusive economic zone while reinforcing a close bilateral partnership built around shared maritime security priorities.
RMIS Jelmae replaces the ageing Pacific Patrol Boat RMIS Lomor 03, which was originally delivered by Australia in 1991 and went on to become the longest-serving vessel of its class in the Pacific, operating for almost 35 years.
The handover is notable not just for the Marshall Islands, but for Australia’s broader regional strategy. RMIS Jelmae is the 23rd Guardian Class patrol boat delivered under the Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP) and represents the final Guardian Class vessel to be handed over to a Pacific partner nation under the program.
For the Royal Australian Navy, the Guardian Class program has become a central pillar of its engagement in the Pacific, complementing the RAN’s own patrol boat and offshore combatant force while enabling partners to take the lead in securing their own waters.
The PMSP is a 30-year, $5.9 billion commitment by Australia to support a stable, secure and prosperous Pacific. It builds on more than three decades of experience gained through the original Pacific Patrol Boat Program, transitioning partner nations to larger, more capable vessels supported by long-term sustainment and training.
Speaking at the ceremony, First Assistant Secretary Pacific Division Susan Bodell said the program was delivering tangible security outcomes across the region.
“Through our partnership with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, we are increasing regional maritime security and will be more effective in tackling our shared regional challenges together,” she said.
“The Pacific Maritime Security Program is empowering protection of the Pacific, by the Pacific – by delivering enduring sovereign capability that is underpinned by through-life sustainment, training and regional coordination.”
Beyond the patrol boats themselves, the PMSP is a comprehensive capability package delivered by Defence and the RAN.
It includes major maintenance and sustainment infrastructure, crew training through the Navy and commercial providers, embedded in-country Navy advisers, region-wide contracted aerial surveillance, and enhanced regional coordination and communications to counter illegal fishing, transnational crime and other maritime threats.
Following the release of the Defence Strategic Review, the Australian government committed to further strengthening maritime security partnerships across the Pacific, increasing support to the PMSP as the cornerstone of Defence’s regional engagement.
In total, Australia is delivering 24 Guardian Class patrol boats, alongside landing craft and other maritime assets, to 16 Pacific partner nations.
With the delivery of RMIS Jelmae, the Guardian Class fleet is now firmly established as a shared capability across the region, one that closely aligns Pacific partners with the Royal Australian Navy’s own approach to persistent maritime presence, cooperation and security.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
