Defence confirms Pacific Support Vessel has been purchased

Even though the government has failed to make a formal announcement, it has been known for some time that the proposed large Pacific Support Vessel will no longer be built in Australia but will be purchased overseas.  During a previous Senate Estimates hearing, the RAN almost accidentally revealed the change of plan – and today they were compelled to admit under further questioning that a ship has already been bought for $88.4 million. The 103-metre-long ship is anchored at the Canary Islands currently undergoing availability checks.  According to the Chief of Navy, VADM Michael Noonan, the future Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Reliant will normally be based in Brisbane.  This is because the ship’s usual area of operation will be the South West Pacific.  The unannounced purchase was made in February. It is believed that the vessel was formerly OSV Horizon Star and was built at Kleven Verft (now Green Yard Kleven) and designed by Marin Teknikk, both of Norway. The presumed intention is to have a ship able to perform humanitarian and disaster relief missions such as responding to the Tongan volcano eruption in a more cost efficient way than using one of the larger Canberra class LHDs. The decision is a breach of the commitment made in 2018 by the government that the vessel would be built in Australia. The decision will disappoint the local shipbuilding industry, coming on top of the cancelled Attack class submarine project and delays to the Hunter class frigates. (PHOTO: Australian Army soldiers from 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, conduct amphibious operations in Zodiac inflatable boats as a CH-47F Chinook helicopter takes-off from HMAS Canberra off the coast of Nomuka Island, Tonga, during Operation Tonga Assist 2022. Credit: CoA / Daniel Goodman) For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]