The Australian government is fulfilling its pledge to increase the financial support for the aerial surveillance division of the Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP) by twofold.
This component of the PMSP aids in upholding maritime security for Pacific nations by supplying them with crewed fixed-wing aircraft and drone capabilities for surveillance purposes.
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The Defence department has recently concluded a tender solicitation process aimed at securing contracted services for fixed-wing aerial surveillance, which will be operated by civilians under the enhanced aerial surveillance programme (EASP).
Following this process, the government will review all proposals received from bidders and announce its decision to the relevant industry stakeholders upon completion of the evaluation.
The PMSP represents Australia’s long-term dedication, spanning three decades, to foster maritime security collaborations across the Pacific region.
Australian Defence Industry Minister and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy said: “Australia is proud to be a security partner of choice for Pacific countries. This is another step forward in increasing regional security and enhancing coordination and communication in conjunction with our Pacific partners.”
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By GlobalDataThe latest announcement by the Australian Government is in line with the commitment it made in 2022 to double funding on aerial surveillance programme from fiscal year 2024-25.
The EASP extends its services to 15 Pacific Island nations that are members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), aiding them in tackling maritime security challenges.
In 2024, the PMSP initiated first phase of the EASP by investing in satellite surveillance capabilities as part of the Quad Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness.
This satellite surveillance function is under the operational management of the FFA and will endow FFA member countries with enhanced abilities to safeguard their extensive Exclusive Economic Zones against various maritime threats.
The PMSP encompass a broad package of support, including capability enhancement, infrastructural development, ongoing maintenance, training and other services offered to elevate maritime security for 16 partnering nations within the region.
In 2024, Austal Australia handed over the 21st Guardian-class patrol boat, designated as Te Mataili III, in alignment with the Australian Department of Defence’s SEA3036 Phase 1 initiative.
This project falls under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) programme, which aims to update and enhance maritime patrol capabilities in the region.
