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The Republic of Fiji Military Forces is the military force of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of about 6,500 active soldiers and approximately 6,200 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world and the third largest in the South Pacific region. The Ground Force is organised into six infantry and one engineer battalions.
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The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), located at John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, is an echelon IV component of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC) and comprises approximately 1,000 civilian, military and contract personnel responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to all elements within the Department of Defense.
Socotra Rock, also known as Ieodo, Parangdo, or Suyan Islet, is a submerged rock 4.6 metres (15 ft) below sea level located in the Yellow Sea. International maritime law stipulates that a submerged rock outside of a country's territorial sea cannot be claimed as territory by any country. However, the rock is the subject of a maritime dispute between China and South Korea, which consider it to lie within their respective exclusive economic zones.
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HMPNGS Rabaul (01) was the first Pacific Forum patrol vessel to be commissioned, in May 1987. She is not the first vessel of the class to go out of service, because her sister ship from Fiji RFNS Kiro was wrecked in 2016. She arrived in Port Moresby, for disposal, on October 24, 2018. The vessel was named HMPNGS Tarangau.
RFNS Kacau is a hydrographic survey vessel donated by China to the Republic of Fiji Naval Service in 2019. With the capacity for approximately 30 crewmembers she will be Fiji's largest vessel.
RFNS Savenaca (401) is a Guardian-class patrol boat, being built in Australia for Fiji's Navy. She will replace RFNS Kula, a Pacific Forum patrol vessel provided by Australia in 1994. She will be the seventh vessel of the class to be completed, and the second of two to be delivered to Fiji. She will be commissioned in March or April of 2020.
The Republic of Fiji Navy or Fijian Navy is the naval branch of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. The Fijian Navy was established after Fiji ratified the recently created 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Convention established that maritime nations had an Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 kilometres, which extended Fiji's waters twentyfold, from 50,000 square miles (130,000 km2) to over 1,000,000 square miles (2,600,000 km2), necessitating a more substantial naval force to enforce Fijian jurisdiction and protect economic activity in the Fijian EEZ.
VOEA Pangai (P202) was a Pacific Forum patrol vessel operated by Tonga.
References
- ↑ Felix Lesinaivalu (2019-07-03). "Economic development 'important for security'". Government of Fiji . p. 12. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
He said the provision of RFNS Savenaca and RFNS Volasiga would enhance the Naval Division capabilities when it comes to Fiji's vast EEZ. "The allocation of $1.1 million for the recruitment of 40 personnel to operate the two vessels is, therefore, timely."
- ↑ Shirika Shalini (2019-02-06). "Fijian Navy Unveils Name of New Hydrographic Survey Vessel". Fiji Sun . Archived from the original on 2019-10-26. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
- ↑ Maggie Boyle (2019-12-07). "EEZ surveillance capabilities boosted: Commander Natuva". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation . Archived from the original on 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
Only two years ago, the Fiji Navy had to rely on other foreign vessels to assist them with border surveillance with only one ship in operation. Fast forward two years and there are six vessels in operation.
- 1 2 "Supplement to the 2019-2020 budget estimates" (PDF). Republic of Fiji Ministry of Economy. 2019-06-07. p. 118. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
A budget of $2.4 million is provided for the Unit for the operational expenses in 2019-2020 financial year. This included new funding of $363,102 for the recruitment of 15 personnel for manning of RFNS Volasiga; which is donated by the Republic of Korea (ROK) under the Fiji Hydrographic Office (FHO) and Korean Hydrographic Oceanography Agency (KHOA) bilateral partnership.