Fiji Maritime Command

Fiji’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is almost 1.3 million square kilometers of ocean. With its operations centered towards the protection of Fiji’s maritime areas, the Fiji Navy remains an integral arm of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.

Fiji has had, between 1870 and 1995, four organisations that have at the time been designated the Naval Forces of the country. There have been different reasons for raising all four, none duplicating any of the others. Encouraged by settlers, some of whom had secured high positions in his Government, Cakobau [the Vunivalu of Bau, the greatest power in that area of the islands] soon had a two-ship (navy commanded by a half-pay Lieutenant of the Royal Navy named Dan O’Neill. The ships were a former trading vessel, Marie Douglas, and the armed cutter Vivid. The duties of this force were mainly ceremonial.

The demise of the first Fiji Navy saw the responsibility for naval affairs of the Colony, which was declared on 10 October 1874, being assumed by the Royal Navy, Australian Squadron. The composition of the squadron changed dramatically during the next 25 years with all iron and later steel steamships gradually replacing sailing ships. In October 1912 King George V approved the title Royal Australian Navy. With that force primarily concerned with the defence of Australia, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy was formed and assumed the task of caring for British Empire interests, including Fiji, in the Pacific.

The whole defence of the portion of the South Pacific Islands which owed allegiance to Britain was the responsibility of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, which in the early 1930s consisted of two sloops and a minesweeper. By virtue of being a Crown Colony the Fiji Royal Navy Volunteer Force [FRNVR] was a sub-unit of the Royal Navy but for convenience the reserve was under the administrative control of the Royal New Zealand Navy. By the end of the World War II the FRNVR had grown to a strength of 600 and involved the manning of three sea-going ships HMS Viti, Q1384 and a supply ship Awahou, in addition to several converted private boats which were classed as tenders to HMNZS venture. Ashore there was the Port War Signal Station in a house overlooking Suva Harbour and that was the site of barracks for the signal personnel. The main body of men were in a tented camp now occupied by the Suva Market.

The legal status of a naval force was established under wartime emergency regulations and when these were repealed there was no legislation for a naval force, although it was agreed that such a force was necessary. A start was made in drafting legislation but it was 1951 before an Ordinance to justify such a force was passed. But those anxious to organise a naval reserve were unable to proceed because regulations had then to be written and agreed, which took another four years. On January 1st 1955 the Fiji Royal Navy Volunteer Force became a legal identity. The material on loan from New Zealand was returned when the division was wound up in 1959.

During the years which led independence in 1970 Fiji had no naval force, but the members of the Fiji Naval Association never lost hope that some day the newly independent country would have a Navy. In 1974 the RFMF created a naval division to carry out the increasingly important function of patrolling the nation's 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Established in 1975, the then Royal Fiji Navy was led by Scotsman, Captain Stanley Brown. It had employed close to 100 personnel who were straight out of the ranks of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. Based in Suva, the navy had 26 officers and 145 sailors in 1983. It had three former United States "Redwing" coastal minesweepers, one 303-ton survey craft, an eight-ton survey launch, and an 85- ton patrol craft. The division set up a national surveillance center in 1984 that depended on radio and telephone reports from passing vessels and aircraft to report activities within the EEZ. The RFMF had no air wing and depended on visiting New Zealand aircraft, especially helicopters, for occasional training missions.

The minesweepers were over twenty years of age when first acquired and gave good service for over ten years. By that time the refits required more funding than was available and the ships were phased out. First KULA and then KIKAU and in 1995 KIRO. Two ex-rig replenishment boats were acquired from America in 1987 and four DABUR class fast patrol boats from Israel in 1991. The first Pacific patrol boat from Australia in 1994 and the second in July 1995. The minesweepers as a squadron acted as Royal Escort in Fiji waters to HMS BRITTANIA when The Queen visited Fiji in 1977. HMFS KIRO performed that duty in 1982 when Her Majesty visited Tuvalu for the first time. On patrols the Navy regularly visited Conway Reef (now named CEVAMAIRA) (Southeast) and were responsible for the planting and growth of the small sandy island there.

On July 25, 1995 the Chief of Naval Staff in Australia commissioned the Suva Naval Base in Walu Bay. It is now named RFNS STANLEY BROWN. Australia has built the 2-storey administrative block and for the first time since inception in 1975, the Navy has proper administrative offices. RFNF VITI has become a training base commanded by an officer of the RNZN on secondment.

Pacific class is a class of 22 patrol boats with a displacement of 160 tons, built by Australia and donated to twelve South Pacific states, with three (RFNS Kula, RFNS Kikau and RFNS Kiro) going to Fiji in the early 1990s. Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, Fiji was suspended from the program, and the associated support. AMC Search, the commercial arm of the Australian Maritime College, has been running training for South Pacific Island patrol boat workforces, under contract to the Department of Defence. Fiji historically sent around 20 trainees a year to AMC Search, but the country dropped out of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program from 2007 until 2015.

Austal was contracted 18 April 2016 to build up to 21 replacement vessels and sustain 19 steel-hulled patrol boats for 12 Pacific Island nations as part of Canberra’s Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement project. Two replacement patrol boats for the Fijian Navy are scheduled for completion in October 2022 and March 2023. The replacement vessels are based on a modified steel hull design of Austal’s Bay Class patrol boat, which are currently operated by the Australian Border Force.

Fiji also operates half a dozen smaller motor speed boats.

The search for the new Fijian naval base continued in late 2015. This was confirmed 09 September 2015 by the Acting Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), Commodore Viliame Naupoto. “We’re still searching,” Commodore Naupoto said. In an earlier interview with former RFMF Commander, Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga, who is now with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he hinted the new naval base would be outside Suva. The Minister for Defence, Timoci Natuva, earlier said they had identified three sites.

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Land Force Commander (LFC) Colonel Sitiveni Qiliho said 03 November 2015 that the reforms in the military included the increase in the manpower of the Fiji Navy. He said the RFMF was to increase the number by more than 100. This had been put on hold because there was no space for the new recruits to do their practical training. “They need to go out in naval ships for their practical work,” he said. For their plan to work, he said, they needed another boat.

The lack of gear within the Fiji Navy prohibits them from staying longer at sea to fully monitor Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This was revealed by Republic of Fiji Military Forces Chief of Staff of Land Force Command Lieutenant-Colonel Jofiliti Talemaibau while making his submissions before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence at Parliament 06 April 2017. He said one of the ways forward in arresting and monitoring transnational crime was the use of high technology Pacific Class Patrol Boats (PPB) with increased patrol range to sustain longer sea travel.

The Republic of Fiji Navy marked the 42nd anniversary with a week of celebration starting 25 July 2017. The Navy’s total strength was 344 including officers who are onboard ships and serving overseas.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told navy personnel 06 August 2017 that Government was looking at recruiting more naval officers. “This is once the Fiji Navy vessels are upgraded,” Mr Bainimarama said. Bainimarama also thanked the Fiji Navy for their efforts to assist Government in keeping the nation safe from outside threats within Fiji's waters. He also reminded the navy officers to wipe out any sort of racial discrimination.

Missions - Maritime Command

• Protection of Fiji’s Maritime Sovereignty
• Develop a Maritime Strategy
• Develop and enhance its CONOPS
• Modernizing its fleets
• Assist in the Protection and Management of Marine Resources
• Maintain a HADR capability
• Protection and security of Fiji’s Maritime Boundaries