The Royal New Zealand Navy has received three Sentinel 1250 high-speed littoral maneuver craft (LMC) for Littoral Warfare Force reconnaissance missions.
The LMC Matawhā, Ururoa, and Mako are constructed of high-density polyethylene, making the boats highly durable and low-maintenance, as well as lighter than their aluminum-built counterparts.
All three LMCs are currently stationed at Devonport Naval Base in the country’s north, and scheduled for deployment in the coming days.
Reinforcing Matatua
HMNZS Matataua Commanding Officer Trevor Leslie stated that the craft’s ability to carry up to 13 people on high-speed deployments allows the unit to conduct more advanced littoral missions.
“These vessels will allow us to go further and faster with more personnel, and once inserted we can do so much more,” he said.
He added that the LMCs will provide a vital link between coastal operations and tactical insertion of diving and hydrographic specialists.
The Sentinel boats are equipped with Twin Cummins diesel engines and Hamilton Jet water jets, allowing the craft to move at over 40 knots.
The new boats are part of HMNZS Matatua’s recent push to provide scalable, fully-equipped, and qualified “fly-in, fly-out” Deployable Boarding Teams to support other naval ships on operations.