Trinidad & Tobago patrol boats to get BAE Systems RIBs

BAE Systems has sold six Pacific 24 rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) to Australia’s Austal for new Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard ships.

The RIBs, built and customised in Portsmouth, UK, are being supplied to Austal to equip two Cape-class patrol boats the shipbuilder is building for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.

The P24 is a small and agile boat that can be deployed for a variety of tasks from counter-piracy and counter-narcotics missions, to force protection, rescue and logistics operations. It is used by a number of military customers, including the Royal Navy.

In the UK, the P24 is used in the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, being embarked on a number of warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. These include the UK’s new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, all its Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and offshore patrol vessels.

The MKIV version of the P24 incorporates the latest technologies in hull construction, including improved shock mitigation and propulsion, and provides extra safety to craft and crew by complying with rigorous Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) testing procedures.

The P24’s seating arrangements – six passengers and two crew – will be specially configured for coast guard operations, including the ability to remove seats in order to boost carrying capacity and carry different loads including stretcher patients or different numbers of passengers.

In addition to the standard technical features of the MKIV P24 boat, custom modifications supplied to Austal included the installation of a ground plate that will enable Austal to supply and fit its own radio communications system. 

“It’s great to see our P24s on their way to deliver an enhanced capability for the government of Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard in collaboration with Austal,” Brooke Hoskins, Director of Products and Training Services for BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, said.