Australia hands Fiji its first Guardian-class patrol boat

摘要

The Australian government has handed over a Guardian-class patrol boat to Fiji. The vessel, which is part of a 21-vessel donation by Canberra to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, was handed over on 6 March at Austal Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. The vessel will be in service with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces as RFNS Savenaca. It is the sixth vessel in the Guardian class overall but the first of two boats that Fiji is receiving from Australia. Fiji is expected to receive its second vessel in 2023. "I'm confident that the new Guardian class will significantly enhance Fiji's capability to patrol and protect its exclusive economic zone, support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief tasks, and combat illegal activities in its maritime domain," said Australia's minister for defence, Linda Reynolds, in a statement to mark the delivery on 6 March.