Australia will provide Ukraine with 14 high-maneuverability RHIB boats with a rigid hull as part of defense assistance. These are Sentinel 830R boats from the Royal Australian Navy.
This was reported by the Australian Ministry of Defense.
The Australian defense agency stated that this latest military support package for Ukraine, valued at $14 million, will "strengthen Ukraine’s maritime and coastal defense, which is a critical operational area for the Armed Forces of Ukraine."
"These Australian Defence Force sea boats will provide a fast and highly manoeuvrable maritime capability for Ukraine," said the ministry in a statement.
The Ministry of Defense of Australia added that this announcement regarding the boat delivery builds on previous contributions to enhance Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, including rigid-hulled inflatable boats announced by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles earlier this year.
The Australian ministry noted that the aid is part of the government’s ongoing commitment to "support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s illegal invasion."
"Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Australia has provided more than $1.3 billion in military support, and more than $1.5 billion in overall support to the government of Ukraine," the Ministry of Defense reported.
According to Australian Deputy Prime Minister Marles, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression is in Australia’s interest, and "it is the right thing to do."
"Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to thwart Russia’s continued attacks from the Black Sea. We are proud to contribute to these vital maritime defences with this new package," said the official.