RVS Takuare

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RVS Takuare is the twelfth Guardian class patrol vessel, constructed in Australia, and given to Vanuatu, on August 2, 2021.[1][2] She is the nation's first Guardian class vessel, and replaces the Pacific Forum class vessel, RVS Tukoro.[3]

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extension of maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 kilometres (Template:Convert/nmi) Australia agreed to provide twelve of its neighbours with twenty-two Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels, so they could exercise sovereignty over their own territory, using their own resources.[4] The first vessel was delivered in 1987, and in 2015 Australia announced plans to replace the original patrol boats with larger and more capable vessels.

Design

Australian ship builder Austal won the $335 million Australian dollar contract for the project, and built the vessels at its Henderson shipyard, near Perth.[5] Guardian class vessels were designed to use commercial off-the-shelf components, not cutting edge, military grade equipment, to make them easier to maintain in small isolated shipyards.

The vessels are 39.5 metres (130 ft) long, can travel 3000 nautical miles at 12 knots .[5] Their maximum speed is 20 knots .[6] Their design allows the recipient nations to mount a pair of heavy machine guns, on either flank, and possibly an autocannon of up to 30mm, on the foredeck.

Operational career

The Takuare was handed over to her Vanuata crew on the nation's 41st Indepence Day, July, 2021, in Henderson, Australia.[3][7]

The crew of the Takuare participated in joint training exercises with elements of the patrol forces of Cook Islands, Fiji and Singapore in late September, 2021.[8]

She arrived in Port Vila on September 30, 2021.[9]

The crew of the Takuare participated in a joint training exercise with a delegation from the Australian Defence Force in December 2021.[10]

References

  1. Martin Manaranche (2021-08-02). "Austal Australia Delivers Guardian-Class Patrol Boat For The Republic Of Vanuatu: Austal Australia has delivered the 12th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence which was then gifted to the Republic of Vanuatu". Naval News. Archived from the original on 2021-08-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803140120/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/08/austal-australia-delivers-guardian-class-patrol-boat-for-the-republic-of-vanuatu/. Retrieved 2021-08-03. "Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the delivery of the 12th Guardian-class Patrol Boat, less than 6 weeks after the delivery of the 11th vessel, highlighted the great efficiency of the Austal Australia teams and shipyards." 
  2. "Вануату отримала від Австралії патрульний катер" (in Ukrainian). Mil.In.Ua. 2021-09-06. Archived from the original on 2021-09-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20210906162416/https://mil.in.ua/uk/news/vanuatu-otrymala-vid-avstraliyi-patrulnyj-kater/. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "«RVS Takuare» – це 12-й патрульний катер класу «Guardian», який «Austal Australia» поставила трохи більше ніж за 30 місяців, і четвертий «Guardian», який було поставлено в цьому році." 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Guardian class patrol boat delivered to Vanuatu". Australian Defence Magazine. 2021-08-02. Archived from the original on 2021-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20211210044157/https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/general/guardian-class-patrol-boat-delivered-to-vanuatu. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "The vessel is the first Guardian-class Patrol Boat to be delivered to Vanuatu under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1), part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program; and replaces the RVS Tukoro, a Pacific-class Patrol Boat delivered in 1987." 
  4. "PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG)". Australian government. 2014-04-03. Archived from the original on 2015-03-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20150301014400/http://png.embassy.gov.au/files/pmsb/140403%20-%20PNG%20DEFRELS%20update.pdf. Retrieved 2018-07-09. "Help develop the PNGDF’s capacity to secure its borders, contribute to United Nations (UN) and multilateral peacekeeping missions, and cooperate with the ADF in areas such as disaster relief." 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Hamish Hastie (2018-05-30). "Wrapped up with a bow: First Pacific patrol boat hits the water". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2019-12-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20191219100019/https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/wrapped-up-with-a-bow-first-pacific-patrol-boat-hits-the-water-20180530-p4zid3.html. Retrieved 2018-07-09. "The $335 million Pacific patrol boat program was awarded to Austal in 2016 and will see 21 'Guardian Class' boats built in WA and gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and East Timor as part of the Pacific maritime security program." 
  6. Gabriel Dominguez (2018-12-03). "Papua New Guinea receives first Guardian-class patrol boat". Jane's Defence Weekly (London). Archived from the original on 2018-12-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20181203231502/https://www.janes.com/article/84969/papua-new-guinea-receives-first-guardian-class-patrol-boat. Retrieved 2018-12-03. "The steel-hulled boat was built with space and weight considerations for a 30 mm naval gun as a primary weapon, as well as port and starboard mounts for 12.7 mm general-purpose machine guns." 
  7. Natasha Tapua (2021-10-18). "Securing the Pacific". Defence Connect. Archived from the original on 2021-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20211210044635/https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/maritime-antisub/8916-securing-the-pacific. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "The Guardian Class patrol vessel, RVS Takuare, was delivered to Vanuatu on the island nation’s Independence Day, at a ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia. The twelfth vessel to be handed over under the PMSP was accepted by His Excellency Samson Fare, Vanuatu’s high commissioner to Australia, on behalf of the Republic of Vanuatu, joined by senior Australian Defence representatives via live stream from Canberra." 
  8. Nancy Cotton (2021-09-29). "Exchange strengthens regional partnerships". Australian Defence Force. Archived from the original on 2021-10-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20211013203844/https://news.defence.gov.au/international/exchange-strengthens-regional-partnerships. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "'Throughout the program, I was involved in the delivery of training to the crews of Vanuatu’s RVS Takuare and to Kiribati’s RKS Teanoai II. It was very professionally rewarding and enabled me to refine my skills as an instructor and a mariner,' CPO Tokaru said." 
  9. "Vanuatu welcomes new patrol boat". Radio New Zealand. 2021-09-30. Archived from the original on 2021-10-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20211020200008/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/452612/vanuatu-welcomes-new-patrol-boat. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "Hundreds of people lined the harbour front in Port Vila as Vanuatu formally received its new patrol boat." 
  10. Captain Taylor Lynch (2021-12-09). "Building skills with Pacific neighbours". Australian Defence Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20211210050918/https://news.defence.gov.au/international/building-skills-pacific-neighbours-0. Retrieved 2021-12-10. "Other initiatives include the Cook and Tiroas Barracks Redevelopment, the Vanuatu Government National Emergency Radio Network, and ongoing technical and advisory support to RVS Takuare, Vanuatu’s new Guardian-class Patrol Boat, which was handed over to Vanuatu on July 30, 2021, under Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program."