TWO uncrewed maritime surveillance vessels deployed by New Zealand have identified 137 vessels of interest during a four-week operation in Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The USVs were delivered to Nadi by a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules.
They were then transported by road to Vuda Marina to be launched.
Together, the USVs identified 137 vessels of interest that required additional scrutiny during a 24/7 surveillance of known maritime routes.
Powered by a combination of wave, solar and wind energy, the USVs can remain at sea for weeks at a time, operating around the clock without requiring resupply to provide a persistent maritime surveillance capability.
Equipped with an array of high-tech surveillance, positioning and photographic systems, Tahi and Rua continuously report their location and observations back to a monitoring centre.
This operation’s intent was “pattern of life”, enabling the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to develop a clearer understanding of activity across the region, including volume and patterns of maritime traffic.
The insights generated may, in the future, assist Fiji in identifying vessels that do not conform, allowing an interception, boarding and thorough search.
Intelligence on suspicious vessels sourced by NZCS may also be passed to RNZN controllers in a monitoring centre.
A USV could be moved to areas where vessels of interest are known to operate or where illicit cargo may be transferred.
Assessment of information gathered
Fiji’s Maritime Essential Services Centre (MESC) in Suva is assessing the information obtained by the USVs during this operation.
MESC director Lemeki Lenoa says there is considerable interest in developing both crewed and uncrewed approaches to combat the importation of narcotics into Fiji.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure we have persistent presence, feeding back here into the MESC,” he said.
“Not only do the USVs help us address issues around manning, but it allows us to address the fuel crisis, because they are completely green-powered.
“We can deploy them into areas to help understand what is happening in our maritime domain, and that helps us – Navy, Customs, Fisheries, Police – develop capabilities and capacity to better respond to threats.”
The operation involved the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), New Zealand Customs Service and Fijian authorities, with the jointly owned uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) Tahi and Rua conducting round-the-clock surveillance of known maritime routes.
Focusing on working together
The MESC was designed to bring partner agencies and nationalities under one roof, to address shared challenges in the region, he said.
“With all the support we’ve received so far, it’s helped us achieve actionable, tangible outcomes, by being able to provide intelligence or information to our partner agencies who can then prosecute these cases successfully in court.”
Commander of Fiji Navy, Commodore Timoci Natuva, says the technology is an important addition to Fiji’s maritime surveillance capabilities.
“This technology is fundamental in supporting Fiji’s fisheries and border surveillance, environmental monitoring and the protection of the country’s extensive maritime domain,” Commodore Natuva said.
“Illegal narcotics entering our country is causing so much harm and misery to our people, so any means to combat this is beneficial to the nation.”
The operation builds on the strong defence and security relationship between New Zealand and Fiji.
Building on the Duavata Partnership
The Duavata Partnership, signed by the two countries in 2022, identifies defence cooperation, maritime security, border protection, capability development and responses to transnational threats as shared priorities.
NZDF Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Shane Arndell, says the deployment of Tahi and Rua is proof-positive of New Zealand’s commitment to the partnership.
“And it is not just because it delivers practical security outcomes for Fiji,” Commodore Arndell said.
“Anything we can do to disrupt the supply of narcotics into our Pacific Island neighbours is also proven to disrupt supply into New Zealand.”
The USVs have now been transported back to New Zealand, ready for their next tasking.
After two weeks at sea the RNZN Unmanned Surface Vessels Tahi and Rua recovered, ready to be transported back to New Zealand. Picture:NZDF.
