Requests for tenders were issued in August 1984. Australian Shipbuilding Industries (ASI) designed a small vessel capable of maritime surveillance and interdiction, search and rescue operations, and fisheries protection. A smaller prototype was constructed by ASI in 1984. The prototype was later sold to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and named "Savo". The contract for the Pacific class was awarded to ASI on 9 May 1985 and construction began in September 1985. It was initially planned that ten ships would be produced for eight countries, with the first ship, HMPNGS "Tarangau" delivered to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force on 16 May 1987. The program continued until 15 ships were ordered, then was terminated before being reopened in February 1993. By the time the program concluded, 22 ships had been delivered to 12 countries, with the final ship, FSS "Independence", delivered to the Federated States of Micronesia in June 1997. The Pacific Patrol Boat Project is the largest and most complex defence co-operation project ever funded by Australia.