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Female
crew–RPB
The
Replacement Patrol Boats (RPB) will herald in a new era for the
Patrol Boat Force Element Group (PBGRP).
The accommodation arrangements of the Replacement Patrol Boat (RPB)
will allow female senior and junior sailors at sea for the first
time.
Although several of the current Fremantle class boats have female
officers onboard, the boats’ accommodation and ablution spaces
have meant female sailors at sea were not a practicable option.
The new boats will have, as a minimum, four-berth cabins and will
be ‘far superior’ in comfort and standards to the current
Fremantle class patrol boat.
“Downstream, all crews will be a combination of male/female.
The overall crew size of the vessel might be slightly smaller than
the current Fremantle, perhaps one or two less,” said COMAUSNAVPBGRP,
CAPT Frank Kresse.
He explained, “The scheme of complement is a product of design,
technology and being able to deliver the capability of the boat,
especially the requirement to conduct two concurrent boarding operations,
which is a manpower driver.
“We are currently seeing female sailors on our ships in the
gulf conducting boarding operations and it will be exactly the same
for us. This will increase the size of the pool from which to attract
people to the patrol boat force, and it can only be a positive outcome
overall for the FEG.”
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