RSIPV Lata (03)

Lata at Townsville Harbour for maintenance
History
Solomon Islands
Name: Lata
Operator: Royal Solomon Islands Police Force
Launched: 1988
Status: Ship in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Pacific Forum-class patrol boat
Displacement: 162 tons
Length: 103 ft (31 m)

RSIPV Lata 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 donate patrol vessels to twelve of its fellow members of the Pacific Forum 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.[3]

Operational history

In February and March 2017 Lata engaged in a joint fishery protection operation with her sister ship from Vanuatu, RVS Tukoro.[4]

Replacement

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

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. 1 2 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. ↑ "RSIPV Lata back from 'Operation Solvan'". Solomon Freshbeat. 2017-03-16. Retrieved 2018-06-16. RSIPV LATA, commanded by Staff Sergeant Harold Reggie, teamed with Republic of Vanuatu Ship (RVS) TUKORO, commanded by Superintendent Eddie Kalokul of the Vanuatu Police Maritime Wing, to lead a surveillance mission encompassing the south eastern section of Vanuatu’s EEZ.
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