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Patrol boat HMPNGS Francis Agwi (P403)

Patrol boat HMPNGS Francis Agwi (P403) 0Patrol boat HMPNGS Francis Agwi (P403) 1

Classification

Ship class:
Guardian-class patrol boat
Type:
Patrol boat

Basic information

Namesake:
Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force
Operator:
Papua New Guinea Maritime ElementPapua New Guinea Maritime Element
Country of build:
Builder:
Austal
Commissioned (service):
Status:
Active

Ship measurements

Length:
39.5 m
Beam:
8 m
Draft:
0.76 m

Machine

Propulsion:
  • 2 * Caterpillar 3516C diesels
  • 2 * 2000 kW and 1600 rpm
  • 2 * shafts
Speed:
20 knots
Range:
3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)

Personnel

Complement:
23

Combat assets

Boats & landing craft:
  • 1 * Work Ribs (WRH635FRB)
Electronics:
  • Communication system:
  • VHF/DSC Radios, MF/HF DSC
  • Radios, VHF Aeroband Radio,
  • UHF Military Radio, Inmarsat C,
  • SatCom,HF and VHF Radio
  • Direction Finder
  • Navigation:
  • X-Band Radar, Electronic Chart
  • System, DGPS, Gyrocompass,
  • Autopilot, Depth Sounder
Armament:
  • Space and weight reservation for a 30mm main gun
  • Port and Starboard mounts for 0.50 calibre GPMG

HMPNGS Francis Agwi (P403) is the third Guardian class patrol vessel to be delivered to the Papau New Guinea Defence Force. Australia designed and will 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.

The vessel are 39.5 metres (130 ft) long, can travel 3000 nautical miles at 12 knots. Maximum speed is 20 knots. Design allows to mount a pair of heavy machine guns, on either flank, and possibly an autocannon of up to 30mm, on the foredeck.

The Francis Agwi was completed on October 22, 2021, and handed over to PNG crew. The Francis Agwi arrived in Port Moresby, her homeport, on December 1, 2021.

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