HMTSS Te Mataili II

HMTSS Te Mataili II (802) is the second Guardian-class patrol boat completed, and the first to be given to the small Pacific Ocean nation Tuvalu.^[1][2][3] She was commissioned on 5 April 2019, replacing Te Mataili, a Pacific Forum patrol vessel, that had reached the end of her designed lifetime.^[4][2][1]

Te Mataili III, replacement of Te Mataili II, at the Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia
History
Tuvalu
Name	Te Mataili II
Builder	Austal
Launched	26 November 2018
Commissioned	5 April 2019
Identification	IMO number: 4734116 MMSI number: 572211301 Callsign: T2SB
General characteristics
Class & type	Guardian-class patrol boat
Length	39.5 m (129 ft 7 in)
Beam	8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draft	0.76 m (2.5 ft)
Propulsion	2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, 2 shafts
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Armament	Australia provides the ships without armament, but they are designed to be able to mount heavy machine guns, or an autocannon of up to 30 mm on the foredeck

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extension of maritime nations' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) to 200 kilometres (108 nmi), Australia agreed to provide twelve of its neighbours with 22 Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels, so they could exercise sovereignty over their territory, including their extended EEZs, using their own resources.^[5][6] 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.^[7] 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 (129 ft 7 in) long, can travel 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).^[7] Their maximum speed is 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).^[8] Their design allows the recipient nations to mount a pair of heavy machine guns, on either flank, and possibly an autocannon of up to 30 mm (1.2 in), on the foredeck.

Operational career

In July 2019, Inspector Seleganui Fusi, commanding officer of Te Mataili II, hosted a delegation from Timor, letting them prepare for the arrival of their patrol vessels.^[9]

Te Mataili II was severely damaged by a cyclone in Vanuatu in March 2023 and was sent to Australia for repairs.^[10] Te Mataili II was declared beyond economic repair and will be replaced by Te Mataili III.^[11]