Ukrainian Ambassador inspects Sentinel vessels destined for frontlines
Sentinel Boats is honoured to have been selected by the Government of Australia to provide support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their ongoing defence effort.
A consignment of state-of-the-art Sentinel 830R RHIBs (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats) will form part of the $100 million military assistance package recently announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, MP.
His Excellency, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ambassador of Ukraine visited Sentinel’s Hobart facility today to inspect the vessels under construction and to experience the on-water performance of the 830R first hand.
Sentinel Boats CEO, George McGuire, said Sentinel was honoured to welcome Ambassador Myroshnychenko, and to be one of the Australian companies selected to provide support on the Ukrainian frontlines.
Mr McGuire said the selection demonstrated a notable display of trust in the Sentinel family of boats. Through hands on experience Defence, law enforcement and government agencies across Australia and New Zealand are developing a true appreciation of the performance and durability of our unique boats.
“The speed and agility of the 830R platform is expected to be used across a range of mission profiles, from riverine operations in Ukraine’s complex waterways, through to open sea boarding operations,” Mr McGuire said.
“The 830R can be rapidly deployed and requires minimal maintenance, resulting in greater operational availability whenever the Ukrainian forces need it.”
Mr McGuire said Sentinel Boats was the world-leader in building military boats using high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
HDPE offers extraordinary strength and impact resistance, as well as high stability and vibration dampening qualities that, combined with advanced design, improve safety and reduce crew fatigue.
HDPE does not suffer from the electrolysis effects that limit the life of similar aluminium boats in high use or demanding operational situations. The longevity of HDPE in harsh marine environments means the Ukrainian forces will not have to purchase replacement boats for many decades to come. This will allow scarce funds to be focussed on reconstruction, rather than re-equipping to deter any further incursions.
“The reduced cost ownership benefit HPDE offers is demonstrated by Sentinel’s first boat still being in active service after nearly 30 years of daily use in a demanding commercial environment,” Mr McGuire said.
Mr McGuire said the Ukrainian supply contract was a tribute to the dedication of the Sentinel Boats team and designers One2Three naval architects.
“It is the ultimate honour to have our craftmanship and reliability trusted internationally and to have this opportunity to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” he said.
The RHIBs are currently under construction in Sentinel Boat’s dedicated Hobart workshop and will be delivered in coming months, along with the other support packages pledged by the Australian Government.
