Republic of Fiji Military Forces explained

Republic of Fiji Military Forces
Founded:1940
Current Form:2013
Headquarters:Suva
Commander-In-Chief:Wiliame Katonivere
Commander-In-Chief Title:Commander-in-chief
Chief Minister:Sitiveni Rabuka
Chief Minister Title:Prime Minister
Minister:Pio Tikoduadua
Minister Title:Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration
Commander:Major General Jone Kalouniwai
Commander Title:Commander RFMF
Conscription:No
Manpower Data:2021 est.
Manpower Age:18–49
Available:215,104
Available F:212,739
Fit:163,960
Fit F:178,714
Reaching:9,266
Reaching F:8,916
Active:6,500[1]
Reserve:Approx 6,200
Deployed:541
Amount:US $50.1 million (2022)
Percent Gdp:1.23%
Ranks:Military ranks of Fiji

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF, formerly the Royal Fiji Military Forces[2]) is the military force of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of about 6,500 active soldiers and approximately 6,200 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world and the third largest in the South Pacific region. The Ground Force is organised into six infantry and one engineer battalions.

The first two regular battalions of the Fiji Infantry Regiment are traditionally stationed overseas on peacekeeping duties; the 1st Battalion has been posted to Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and East Timor under the command of the UN, while the 2nd Battalion is stationed in Sinai with the MFO. Peacekeepers income represents an important source of income for Fiji. The 3rd Battalion is stationed in the capital, Suva, and the remaining three are spread throughout the islands.

Organisation

Equipment

Fiji Infantry Regiment

The Fiji Infantry Regiment is the main combat element of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. The regiment was formed with the foundation of the Fijian armed forces in 1920. The regiment, as it is today, goes back to 1978 following Fiji's independence.

Fijian Navy

The Republic of Fiji Navy was formed in 1975, following the government's ratification of the United Nations Law of the Sea convention. The Navy is responsible for maritime needs in border control, such as watching over Fiji's exclusive economic zone and organising task and rescue missions. It currently operates 9 patrol boats. Military aid is received from Australia, the People's Republic of China, and the United Kingdom (although the latter has suspended aid as a result of the 2006 military coup against the civilian government).

Speaking at 30th anniversary celebrations on 26 July 2006, Commander Bradley Bower said that the greatest challenge facing the navy of a maritime country like Fiji was to maintain sovereignty and the maritime environment, to acquire, restore, and replace equipment, and to train officers to keep pace with changing situations.

In January 2019 five of Fiji's naval vessels were operational. In 2020 Australia will provide two new s to replace the three vessels it provided over thirty years ago In December 2019 Fiji took delivery of, boosting the number of operational vessels to six. The Guardian-class patrol boat was officially handed over to Fijian officials, in Henderson, Australia, on 6 March 2020.

Northern Air operates search and rescue flights for the Navy. [17]

Equipment

3 x (Australia, displacement 162 t, length 31.5m (103.3feet), width 8.1m (26.6feet) draught 1.8m (05.9feet), power 2 x 1050kW, maximal speed 20knot, crew 17-man, armament machine guns 1 x 12.7 mm). These boats replaced discharged s FNS Kula, Kikau and Kiro, gained 1975 – 1976 from the United States Navy.

2 patrol boat (US, displacement 97 t, crew 11-man, armament machine guns 1 x 12.7 mm)

4 (Israel, displacement 39 t, crew 9-man, armament 2 x cannon 20 mm, 2 x machine guns 7.62 mm)

2 Oceanic survey vessels

Rank insignia

Rank designation based on the British tradition.[18] [19]

Commissioned officers

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army and navy respectively. They are based on the rank structure of Royal Navy and British Army.

Enlisted

The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army and navy respectively. They are based on the ranks of the Royal Navy and British Army.

History

Political intervention

Fiji's military has a history of political intervention.[20] In 1987, soldiers were responsible for two military coups, and in 2000, the military organised a countercoup to quash George Speight's civilian coup. Since 2000, the military has had a sometimes tense relationship with the Qarase government, and has strongly opposed its plans to establish a Commission with the power to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the coup. Among other objections, the military claims that its integrity and discipline would be undermined if soldiers who mutinied in the 2000 upheaval were to be pardoned.

On 4 August 2005, Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry called for more Indo-Fijians, who presently comprise less than one percent of the military personnel, to be recruited. (Specifically, as of October 2007, Fiji's military had 3527 full-time members, of whom only 15 were Indo-Fijians.[21]) This would help guarantee political stability, he considered. He also spoke against government plans to downsize the military. Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Orisi Rabukawaqa responded the next day by saying that the military was not an ethnic Fijian body, that it stood to serve the entire nation, and that there was no colour bar in its recruitment or promotion. He said that many Indo-Fijians had been reluctant to commit themselves to a military career because of the slow progress of promotion, often preferring to be discharged and to use their record as a stepping stone to a successful career in some other field. Nevertheless, he appreciated the Indo-Fijian contribution to the military, and noted the success of Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Aziz, the head of the military's legal unit who was a pivotal figure in the court martial of soldiers who mutinied in 2000. Ironically the rate of promotion of indigenous Fijian officers had been very rapid after the 1987 coup, and subsequent expansion of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.

On 26 August 2005, the government announced plans to study ways to reduce the size of the military. Military engineers would be transferred to the Regional Development Ministry, said Home Affair Minister Josefa Vosanibola, and the reduction of the military forces would coincide with an increase in the numbers of the police force.

On 26 September 2005, Rabukawaqa revealed that the military had decided to curtail certain operations to stay within its budget. The cuts would affect maritime patrols, search and rescue operations, training and exercises, School Cadet training, and the deployment of military engineers to rural areas. These cuts would be made to ensure that activities accorded a higher priority, such as peacekeeping operations in the Sinai Peninsula and Iraq, officer cadet training with the New Zealand Defence Forces, and the prosecution of soldiers charged with mutiny, would not be affected, Rabukawaqa said.

The next day, Lesi Korovavala, chief executive officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, told the Fiji Village news service that the military had undertaken the reductions on its own initiative, in consultation with the department, an explanation corroborated by Lieutenant Colonel Rabukawaqa.

On 5 December 2006, the Fijian army staged a third coup d'état. On 7 February 2008, the head of the RFMF and post-coup interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama stated: "Qarase [...] does not understand the role of the Military and as such is misinforming the nation. [...] [I]f there are practices and policies which have potential to undermine the national security and territorial integrity of Fiji, the RFMF has every right under the Constitution to intervene."[22] In August 2009, with Bainimarama still controlling the government as prime minister and the constitution abrogated, Epeli Nailatikau, a former military commander, was appointed acting president on the retirement of Iloilo.

Operations

Fiji committed troops to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. Australia agreed to transport those troops.

Fiji sent 54 individuals to Australia, to help fight wildfires there.

Fiji Air Wing

The Air Wing of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, founded in 1987, had a base at the airport in Nausori, but was abolished in 1997. Yehonatan Shimʻon Frenḳel writes that the "Air Wing was formed after the 1987 coup, when the French provided two helicopters as part of its military aid package."[23] Frenkel goes on to say that the air wing was disbanded after both helicopters crashed and after subsequent revelations of huge debts incurred as a result of the aircraft.

Aircraft

The two helicopters were:

Aircraft typeVariantsOriginRoleService periodNotes
AS 365N2 Dauphin Transport and liaison helicopter 1989–1994 One helicopter. Matriculation marker DQ-FGD.
AS 355F-2 Twin Squirrel Transport and liaison helicopter 1991–1997 One helicopter. Matriculation marker DQ-FGH.
Helicopter AS-365 N2 Dauphin crashed off the coast of the main island in July 1994; a smaller AS-355F-2 continued in service until mid-1997 and in 1999 was sold to France.

The Air Wing did not have its own roundel or ensign and its only marking was the national flag used as a fin flash.[24]

Facilities

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. IISS: The Military Balance 2022
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=grRPAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Royal+Fiji+Military+Forces%22 Fiji: Report
  3. Web site: Commander resigns – Fiji Times Online. fijitimes.com. 28 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035446/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=316206. 1 August 2017. dead.
  4. Web site: By the book . Fiji Times Online . Tevita . Vuibau . 6 March 2014 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307193942/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=261888 . 7 March 2014 . dead .
  5. Web site: Military pays tribute to 'David' . Tevita . Vuibau . Fiji Times Online . 6 March 2014 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307193928/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=261889 . 7 March 2014 . dead .
  6. Web site: Kalouniwai is Fiji's Military Land Force Commander . Islands Business . 6 March 2014 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307035840/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/fiji/4803/kalouniwai-is-fijis-military-landforce-commander/ . 7 March 2014 . live .
  7. Web site: :: Rosyjska broń dla Fidżi . altair.pl . pl . 21 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304183249/http://www.altair.com.pl/news/view?news_id=18730 . 4 March 2016 . dead .
  8. Web site: Republic of Fiji Military Forces . 2023-04-26 . www.facebook.com . en.
  9. Web site: Orang AS dan Australia Tak Percaya RI Bisa Buat Senjata Canggih Ini . 2023-03-26 . detikfinance . id-ID.
  10. Web site: Guns For Fiji – Fiji Sun. fijisun.com.fj. 12 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180313215558/http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/10/01/guns-for-fiji/. 13 March 2018. dead.
  11. Asia Pacific Defence Reporter 2006 Source Book
  12. Web site: Leigh . Ingram-Seal . Republic of Fiji Military Forces . Orbat.com . 8 March 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140308163249/http://orbat.com/site/history/open_vol2/Fiji.pdf . 8 March 2014 .
  13. Web site: Next up…Arms Training – Fiji Sun. fijisun.com.fj. 12 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018193315/http://fijisun.com.fj/2016/01/16/next-up-arms-training/. 18 October 2016. dead.
  14. Minister for Defence Marise Payne . Bushmaster sale another boost to Fiji-Australia defence partnership . 27 July 2018 . Department of Defence . 9 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180728035657/https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-releases/bushmaster-sale-another-boost-fiji-australia-defence . 28 July 2018 . dead .
  15. News: Vakasukawaqa . Arieta . Bushmasters For Our Troops . 27 July 2018 . Fiji Sun . 10 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180728041537/http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/02/10/bushmasters-for-our-troops/ . 28 July 2018 . dead .
  16. Web site: Manager . Ritika Pratap Deputy News . Fiji receives 14 Bushmasters from Australia . 2023-10-22 . Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
  17. Web site: Rescue Coordination Center Fiji . 2022-09-30 . www.facebook.com . en.
  18. Web site: Fiji Rank Insignia – Army Land Forces . The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130729082749/http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=1202 . 29 July 2013 . live .
  19. Web site: Fiji Rank Insignia – Navy and Coast Guard . The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia . 8 March 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160313112120/http://uniforminsignia.org/?itemid=53&option=com_insigniasearch&result=2353 . 13 March 2016 .
  20. Web site: How the Sinai Peacekeeping Force Staged a Military Coup in Fiji . Diana Muir . Appelbaum . Jewish Ideas Daily . 27 August 2012 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160110122829/http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/4867/features/how-the-sinai-peacekeeping-force-staged-a-military-coup-in-fiji/ . 10 January 2016 . live .
  21. News: Rumblings of a revolution . Hamish . McDonald . . 27 October 2007 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090609102227/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/rumblings-of-a-revolution/2007/10/26/1192941338637.html . 9 June 2009 . live .
  22. Web site: Qarase wrong about military: Bainimarama . . 7 February 2008 . 8 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307043710/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=80679 . 7 March 2014 . dead .
  23. Book: Frenḳel, Yehonatan Shimʻon . From Election to Coup in Fiji: The 2006 Campaign and Its Aftermath . ANU E Press . 2007 . 978-0731538126 . 29.
  24. Web site: Military Flags (Fiji). crwflags.com. 28 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160326045819/http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/fj%5E.html. 26 March 2016. live.
  25. Web site: New Navy Base 'Outside Suva' – Fiji Sun. fijisun.com.fj. 12 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018193312/http://fijisun.com.fj/2015/02/11/new-navy-base-outside-suva/. 18 October 2016. dead.