Yemeni boats sail for ammo test

The first of the new Yemeni patrol boats in the waters off Garden Island WA.

Photo: ABPH Kade Rogers

Patrol boats like this one are likely to be regular visitors to HMAS Stirling over the next few months.

Austal is building a total of ten of the 37.5 aluminium metre craft for the Republic of Yemen.

“Seven are already in the water and four have had their weapons fitted,”
spokesman for Austal, Andrew Jeffs told Navy News.

It was for this reason the first went to Stirling.

Austral needed to collect ammunition to test the weapons fitted to the boat, one 25 mm twin barrelled naval gun and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.

The patrol boats are based on the Bay Class patrol boat, eight of which are in service with Australian Customs.


The craft have a sprint capability of 29 knots and have a ship’s company of 19 - three officers and 16 sailors.

Austal has been contracted to supply the ten craft, spares and a substantial package of training for 60 people for a price under $55 million.

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