Maldives's Guardian-class patrol vessel arrives in-country

The Guardian-class patrol vessel that will be in service with the Maldives National Defence Force. (Maldives National Defence Force)

The Maldives National Defence Force's (MNDF's) first Guardian-class patrol vessel has arrived in-country.

In a statement published on 15 June, the MNDF said the vessel arrived in Hulhumalé harbour following a journey from the HMAS Stirling Naval Base in Western Australia where it was handed over in April 2026.

The vessel, whose name has yet to be revealed by the MNDF, is scheduled to be commissioned into operational use in July 2026, said the service.

The vessel has been supplied under Australia's Pacific Maritime Security Programme (PMSP), a long-running initiative aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness and patrol capabilities among partner countries.

The Maldives is among a growing list of recipient countries that have received Guardian-class vessels under the programme.

Other countries that have received the vessel include Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands.

These transfers are intended to replace or augment older patrol fleets, providing recipient states with enhanced capabilities to police their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), conduct search-and-rescue missions, and counter illegal maritime activities.

The Guardian class features an overall length of 39.5 m, a beam of 8 m, and a full-load displacement of around 160 tonnes.

Each vessel accommodates a standard crew of 23 personnel and is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, enabling speeds of approximately 20 kt.

The class incorporates provisions for a 30 mm naval gun as its primary armament, supported by mounts for 12.7 mm general-purpose machine guns on both port and starboard sides.

This configuration allows the vessels to undertake constabulary and low-intensity maritime security operations while retaining a degree of defensive capability.