Sentinel Boats has been awarded a contract to deliver up to seven advanced RHIBs for Australia’s Special Operations Forces.
The company will deliver the latest evolution of its Sentinel 830R, the 830R-SPL which builds on previous generations of the 830R, with a new single point lift (SPL) functionality.
Features include integrated Henriksen lifting and painter hooks allowing it to be launched and recovered from a parent ship while it is underway.
The vessel also has a pneumatic ‘D’ collar allows a larger cargo area and three-abreast seating, designed for greater operational flexibility including the operation of autonomous systems.
Self-righting capability
The RHIB has self-righting capability that was developed for a previous Sentinel Boats’ contract to provide a new fleet of sea boats for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The craft is built in Tasmania from HDPE and is manufactured for durability, safety and rapid repair capability in the field.
The contract is a strong vote of confidence in Australian design and manufacturing, says Sentinel Boats CEO George McGuire.
“It’s a proud day for Sentinel Boats,” said McGuire. “The 830R was first developed as a high-performance police vessel.
“The next rear console variant was focussed on military/para-military operations, including boarding operations.
“These vessels were exported to Ukrainian armed forces through Australia’s military gifting programme, as well as being used by defence.
“Now the latest variant, the 830R-SPL, will enter service with Australia’s elite special operations command for use across a wide range of training and operational scenarios.”
The first two vessels are due to be delivered later in 2026.
