The Sentinel 1250 Littoral Manoeuvre Craft (LMC), Matawhā, is on display at Indo Pacific 2023, one of three LMC’s built by Tasmanian manufacturer Sentinel Boats for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).
The Matawhā is a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) and will be capable of operating from a parent ship when they deploy into operational theatres as well as independently around New Zealand’s coastal waters.
The LMC is hand built from High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and has the ability to launch and recover its own 5.3m tender. The vessel can be quickly configured for a range of mission profiles including dive operations, hydrographic survey support and reconnaissance.
Sentinel Boats CEO, George McGuire, said the 12.5 metre Matawhā had become a focal point on the floor of the Indo Pacific 2023 expo.
“These vessels have redefined what many thought was possible in a RHIB. The versatility, adaptability and performance of the Sentinel family of sea boats is like nothing else in their class,” McGuire said.
“RNZN personnel, who have been putting these vessels through their paces since March, have described the LMC as a ‘game changer’ and provides a next-level military maritime capability.”
The three vessel names: Ururoa, Mako and Matawhā were taken from the Māori names for shark species, held in high esteem in Māori culture.