RSIPV Auki (04)

Lata, sister ship to Auki
History
Solomon Islands
Name: Auki
Operator: Solomon Islands
Launched: 1991
Status: Ship in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Pacific Forum-class patrol boat
Displacement: 162 tons
Length: 103 ft (31 m)

RSIPV Auki is one of the Pacific Forum patrol boats Australia gave to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.[1][2]

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extending maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 kilometres (110 nmi) Australia agreed to design, build, and give twelve of its fellow members of the Pacific Forum with patrol vessels, so they could police and extend sovereignty to their exclusive economic zones using their own resources.[3] Australia also helped build bases for the vessels, provide training, and help with maintenance.

Design

Australia designed the vessels to use commercial off-the-shelf equipment instead of cutting-edge, high-performance, military grade equipment, to ease the maintenance burden for their smaller neighbours.

Operational history

Auki helped provide aid to Vanuatu in 2015, after it was struck by a tropical cyclone.[4]

Replacement

Australia is scheduled to replace the Auki with a new, larger and more capable Guardian-class patrol boat in 2022 or 2023.[2] Her sister ship, Lata is scheduled to be replaced in 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Maritime". Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. 2018. Retrieved 2018-06-16. RSIPF Maritime operate two Pacific Class Patrol Boats owned by the RSIPF, the Lata (03) and Auki (04) as well as a range of smaller vessels.
  2. 1 2 "RSIPF thank Australian gov't". Solomon Star News. 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-06-16. Commissioner Varley explains: “The new Guardian class of patrol boats will be much larger with increased capacity and extended range compared to the current Pacific class of patrol boats. This will be great especially for patrolling of Solomon Islands large maritime border.”
  3. ↑ Dave Morley (2015-12-03). "Lifelines across Pacific" (PDF). Navy News. 58 (23). p. 8. Retrieved 2018-08-12. The program involves 22 Australian-gifted patrol boats to 12 Pacific island countries, the majority of which are operated by police services.
  4. ↑ "Royal Solomon Island Police Vessel Auki returns from Tropical Cyclone Pam relief efforts in Vanuatu". Australian High Commission, Honiara. Honiara. 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2018-06-16. The RSIPV Auki along with a second vessel, the RSIPV Lata, were gifted to the Solomon Island Government under the Australian Government’s Pacific Patrol Boat Program. Australia also provides assistance for ongoing maintenance and logistics support for the patrol boats, as well as providing valuable training opportunities for maritime officers.
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