RSIPV Gizo (05)

RSIPV Gizo (05) is the fifth Guardian-class patrol boat to be completed.[1][2][3][4] Australian officials officially handed her over to representatives of the Solomon Islands on November 8, 2019, in Henderson, Western Australia.

Gizo in the Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia.
History
Solomon Islands
Name: Gizo
Builder: Austal
Acquired: November 8, 2019[1]
Identification:
General characteristics
Class and type: Guardian-class patrol boat
Length: 39.5 m (129 ft 7 in)
Beam: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draft: 0.76 m (2.5 ft)
Propulsion: 2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, 2 shafts
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range: 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Armament: Australia provides the ships without armament, but they are designed to be able to mount heavy machine guns, or an autocannon of up to 30 mm on the foredeck

She is the first of two Guardian-class vessels Australia will provide to the Solomon Islands, and she will replace RSIPV Lata.[5][6]

Design

Australia provided 22 Pacific Forum patrol vessels to its smaller neighbours in the Pacific Forum after the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provided maritime nations with 200-kilometre (120 mi) exclusive economic zone.[7][8] Those vessels were delivered in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and were designed for a service life of approximately 30 years. Australia designed the Guardian class as a slightly larger and more capable replacement.

Like the Pacific Forum vessels the Guardian-class vessels are built using commercial off the shelf components, to make it easier for the vessels to be maintained in small, isolated shipyards.

Role

According to Mostyn Mangau Solomon Islands Deputy Commissioner of Police: "This new boat is purposely to conduct maritime surveillance and enforcement operations like fighting illegal fishing, search and rescue for distress boats, VIP escorts and other border operations."[9][10]

Operational career

Gizo was officially commissioned on December 19, 2019.[11] VIPs attending the commissioning included Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Services Anthony Veke and Australian High Commissioner Sally Anne Vincent. Acting Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau called Gizo "the pride of the fleet".[10]

Gizo was joined by HMAS Maryborough on her maiden voyage.[12] The crews of the two vessels conducted joint training exercises on the voyage.

References
  1. "Australia supports Solomon Island's security priorities". Mirage News. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019. The Australian Government has today handed over the latest Guardian-class Patrol Boat RSIPV Gizo to the Solomon Islands at a ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia.
  2. Stephen Kuper (9 November 2019). "Australia delivers next Guardian patrol boat to Solomon Islands". Defence Connect. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the handover of the patrol boat reinforced Solomon Islands’ position as one of Australia’s key partners in the Pacific region.
  3. Gabriel Dominguez (8 November 2019). "Australia hands over Guardian-class patrol boat to Solomon Islands". Jane's Defence Weekly. London. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019. The Guardian class has an overall length of 39.5 m, a beam of 8 m, and can accommodate a crew of 23. It is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C engines and can attain a top speed of 20 kt.
  4. Xavier Vavasseur (8 November 2019). "Austal Delivers Guardian-Class Patrol Boat RSIPV Gizo For Solomon Islands". Naval News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. The RSIPV Gizo is one of two Guardian Class Patrol Boats to be delivered to and operated by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, replacing the RSIPV Lata that has been in service since 1988.
  5. "Timor Leste's future Patrol Boats". Monch Publishing Group. 19 April 2018. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2018. The PICS will receive their new patrol boats as follows: Cook Islands (1 vessel); Federated States of Micronesia (2 vessels); Fiji (2 vessels); Kiribati (1 vessel); Palau (1 vessel); Papua New Guinea (4 vessels); Republic of the Marshall Islands (1 vessel); Samoa (1 vessel); Solomon Islands (2 vessels); Timor Leste (2 vessels); Tonga (2 vessels); Tuvalu (1 vessel); Vanuatu (1 vessel).
  6. "RSIPF thank Australian gov't". Solomon Star News. 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 July 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018. 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.”
  7. "Austal Pacific Patrol Boat 40" (PDF). Austal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018. Austal will design, construct and deliver the 19 steel-hulled patrol boats (valued at $280 million) to 12 Pacific Island nations. The contract includes an option for two additional vessels.
  8. "Australia's Defence Engagement in the Pacific: 2016 Defence White Paper". Australian Navy. 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018. The Pacific Patrol Boats are gifted by Australia as sovereign assets, and have enabled Pacific Island countries to take an active role in securing their own borders and resources – to the benefit of the region overall. The PPBs are used to undertake a wide range of tasks, from fisheries enforcement, to Search and rescue, to movement of ballot boxes.
  9. "Mangau: new patrol boat will benefit us". Solomon Star News. 16 November 2019. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019. This new boat is purposely to conduct maritime surveillance and enforcement operations like fighting illegal fishing, search and rescue for distress boats, VIP escorts and other border operations.
  10. "Maritime Boosted with Commissioning of new Guardian Class Patrol Boat Gizo". Solomon Times. 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020. 'To the Director RSIPF Maritime, the captain and crew of our new Guardian Class Patrol Boat Gizo, you bear a great responsibility for the use and safekeeping of this vessel. I commend your efforts in delivering PB Gizo to our shores on in its maiden voyage. This vessel is the pride of our fleet and will protect our borders and support our neighbours,' says Acting Commissioner Mangau.
  11. "RSIPF maritime boosted with commissioning of new Guardian class patrol boat GIZO". Solomon Star News. 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019. The maritime capability of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has been boosted with the commissioning of the new Guardian class patrol boat, 05 GIZO during a ceremony in Honiara today.
  12. Todd Fitzgerald (3 January 2020). "Patrol boats the guardians of regional security and stability". Navy Daily. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020. Cross-decking, as it is known in naval jargon, is practised by navies all over the world and is designed to improve the personal and professional development of those fortunate enough to be selected. It is also a sign of diplomacy and trust between participating vessels.
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