The Maldives has taken delivery of its Australian-gifted Guardian-class patrol vessel, with the ship arriving in Hulhumalé Harbour after a voyage from HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
The vessel was handed over under Australia’s Defence Cooperation Program and will enter MNDF service in July 2026. It extends the Coast Guard’s reach across the archipelago’s EEZ for maritime surveillance, patrols, search and rescue, and counter-illicit activity missions.
The transit was described as the longest sea voyage completed by a Maldivian military vessel. For the sector, the delivery adds another low-endurance patrol asset tailored to persistent presence rather than blue-water operations.