Australia to provide Ukraine with Royal Navy boats to boost maritime defense
Photo: Australia to provide Ukraine with Royal Navy fast boats (defence.gov.au)
Australia will provide Ukraine with 14 high-speed, maneuverable rigid-hulled boats as part of its defense assistance. These boats belong to the Royal Australian Navy, according to the Australian Ministry of Defense.
The Australian Government Department of Defense noted that the latest military support package for Ukraine, valued at $14 million, "will bolster Ukraine’s maritime and coastal defense, which has been an important operational domain for the Ukrainian Armed Forces."
"These Australian Defense Force sea boats will provide a fast and highly maneuverable maritime capability for Ukraine," the ministry said.
The Australian Ministry of Defense added that this announcement regarding the delivery of boats builds on previous contributions to developing Ukraine's maritime capabilities, including rigid-hulled inflatable boats, which were announced by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles earlier this year.
The Australian government emphasizes that this assistance reflects its ongoing commitment to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia's unlawful 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 struggle 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 defenses with this new package," the official stated.
Royal Australian Navy naval boats (photo: defense.gov.au)
