Australia sends aircraft to assist Fiji in maritime surveillance
PLA Daily 2004-03-02
WELLINGTON, March 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Fiji's efforts to effectively patrol its territorial borders will be significantly enhanced with the arrival in Nadi Tuesday of a Royal Australian Air force Hawker Siddeley (HS748) aircraft.
According to a report reaching here from Fiji Monday, the HS748 is specially equipped to undertake maritime surveillance work.
The flight crew will have meetings with Fiji Navy officers and other Fiji government agencies before coordinated surveillance flights begin in a joint exercise with the navy vessel RFNS Kikau.
RFNS Kikau entered service in 1995 and is one of the three vessels given to Fiji by the government of Australia as part of an expansive Pacific Patrol Boat program.
Commenting on the aircraft's arrival, the Australian High Commission's Defense Adviser Lt Col Ron Morley said it is a demonstration of Australia's ongoing commitment to assisting Fiji and other Pacific countries with their border control efforts.
"Among other things, it's aimed at assisting regional countries to combat transnational crimes such as people and drug smuggling, "Morley said.
"It will also assist in curbing the problem of illegal fishing in territorial waters.
"Australia has been providing this type of aerial surveillance to Pacific countries for a number of years now and will continue to do so. These types of cooperative activities are a sound investment for the future and security of the Pacific," he said.
Morley said the aircraft would go on to other Pacific nations to undertake similar surveillance work before returning to duties in Australia.
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