New patrol boats gifted to His Majesty’s Armed Forces Featured
4 March, 2019. The Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Lord Fielakepa, travelled to Australia last week to inspect the first of two new patrol boats that will be gifted to His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF). Brigadier Fielakepa was accompanied by the Australian Defence Adviser to Tonga Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Quinn, and other HMAF officers.
The replacement of the Pacific Patrol Boats is part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia’s $2 billion step-up to the region over the next 30 years, with an emphasis on a new era of partnership with Pacific island countries, including Tonga.
The vessel, named Ngahau Koula (Golden Arrow), is being built by Australian shipbuilders Austal and will be handed over in June. The assigned HMAF staff will receive several weeks of training prior to sailing the boat back to Tonga later in August. Commander Fonohema will be the first commanding officer for Ngahau Koula.
During this trip, Brigadier Fielakepa also visited the 7th Brigade of the Australian Army in Brisbane, where he was greeted with a traditional Indigenous welcome ceremony. He also viewed some of the latest equipment used by the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry – QMI) at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera.
The Australian Army has a longstanding relationship with HMAF which will be strengthened this year as QMI’s mobile training teams will head to Tonga to provide leadership and development training.
