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Tongan Maritime Force

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Tongan Maritime Force
The Tongan patrol boat VOEA Savea underway in Sydney Harbour in 2013.
Active10 March 1973
Country Tonga
TypeNavy
RoleNaval warfare
Size140 personnel[1]
Insignia
Naval Ensign

The Tongan Maritime Force is the naval arm of His Majesty's Armed Forces of Tonga.

History

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The Tongan Maritime Force was founded on 10 March 1973 by King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, who also commissioned the first craft on that date.[2] The first craft commissioned were VOEA Ngahau Koula (P101) and VOEA Ngahau Siliva (P102), meaning Golden Arrow and Silver Arrow, respectively.[2] They were crewed by volunteers and are no longer in service.[2]

In subsequent years, additional vessels were added to the fleet, including:

  • VOEA Savea: A Pacific-class patrol boat, commissioned in 1989, provided by Australia as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program.[2] It was decommissioned in 2019.[3]
  • VOEA Pangai: A Pacific-class patrol boat, also part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, commissioned in 1990.[2] It was decommissioned in 2020.[4]
  • VOEA Neiafu: Another Pacific-class patrol boat, also gifted by Australia, which was commissioned alongside VOEA Pangai.[2] It was decommissioned in 2020.[5]

These ships were vital for Tonga's maritime security and law enforcement until they were decommissioned and replaced by the newer vessels, VOEA Ngahau Koula (P301)[3] and VOEA Ngahau Siliva (P302).[6]

List of craft

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Decommissioned Ships

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The following ships have been decommissioned from active service:

Type Class Origin Displacement Name Pennant number Commissioned Decommissioned
Patrol boat Pacific class  Australia 162 tonnes VOEA Neiafu P201 Unknown 2020
Patrol boat Pacific class  Australia 162 tonnes VOEA Pangai P202 1990 2020
Patrol boat Pacific class  Australia 162 tonnes VOEA Savea P203 1989 2019
Patrol boat Unknown Unknown VOEA Ngahau Koula P101 1973 Unknown
Patrol boat Unknown Unknown VOEA Ngahau Siliva P102 1976 Unknown

Royal yacht

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Type Class Origin Displacement Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport
Royal yacht Titilupe Touliki Base, Nukuʻalofa

Patrol Boat Flotilla

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The Guardian-class patrol craft were provided to Tonga by Australia as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program.[2] As of September 2021, the Tongan Maritime Force has two patrol vessels:

Type Class Origin Displacement Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport
Patrol boat Guardian class  Australia 325 tonnes VOEA Ngahau Koula P301 2019 Nukuʻalofa
Patrol boat Guardian class  Australia 325 tonnes VOEA Ngahau Siliva P302 2021 Nukuʻalofa

Logistic Support Flotilla

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Type Class Origin Displacement Name Pennant number Commissioned Homeport
Landing craft mechanized LCM-8  Australia 113
tonnes 		VOEA Late C315 Nukuʻalofa

References

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  1. ^ "His Majesty's Armed Forces Corporate Plan & Budget 2020–2023" (PDF). Government of Tonga. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Moore, John (1984). Jane's All The World's Fighting Ships. Jane's Publishing. p. 465. ISBN 0710607741.
  3. ^ a b "VOEA Savea's final voyage from Tonga". Matangi Tonga. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Navy farewells VOEA Pangai". Matangi Tonga. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  5. ^ "VOEA Neiafu arrives in Australia". Loop Tonga. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  6. ^ "King Tupou VI commissions new patrol boat". Matanga Tonga. Nuku'alofa, Tonga. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021. HM King Tupou VI commissioned the Tonga Navy's VOEA Ngahau Siliva patrol boat at the Masefield Base, Touliki, today.
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