His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga)
| His Majesty's Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of His Majesty's Armed Forces | |
 Flag of the Armed Forces | |
| Motto | Terra Marique (Latin) ("Land and Sea") |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Current form | 2013 |
| Service branches | Land Force Maritime Force Air Wing Tongan Training Command Tongan Support Unit |
| Headquarters | Vilai Barracks, Nuku'alofa |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | HM King Tupou VI |
| Minister for HMAF | Siaosi Sovaleni |
| Chief of Defense Staff | Brigadier General Lord Fielakepa |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | None |
| Available for military service | 34,254 males, age 16-49 (2010 est.), 32,974 females, age 16-49 (2010 est.) |
| Fit for military service | 27,404 males, age 16-49 (2010 est.), 28,509 females, age 16-49 (2010 est.) |
| Reaching military age annually | 1,448 males (2010 est.), 1,392 females (2010 est.) |
| Active personnel | 500[1] |
| Expenditure | |
| Percent of GDP | 0.9% GDP (2006 est.) |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Tonga |
His Majesty's Armed Forces (HMAF) is the military of Tonga. It is composed of three operational components and two support elements (logistics and training groups).
The mission of HMAF is to: "Defend the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Tonga".
The HMAF is partially supported by defence co-operation agreements with Australia, the United States, China, India, and New Zealand. The co-operation aims at capacity development through training of HMAF personnel in leadership, academic and trades while support for infrastructure development is another part of the security co-operation.
Since 2001, members of HMAF have supported the coalition of the willing in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.
History
The military history of Tonga extends from World War I to the present day, with Tonga participating in World War I, World War II, and the Afghan war, among other conflicts.[2]
Components
The main elements of HMAF are:[3][4]
- His Majesty's Armed Forces HQ
- Joint Force HQ
- Tongan Land Force
- Tongan Royal Guards
- Royal Tongan Marines
- Combined Logistics and Technical Support
- Tongan Maritime Force
- Training Command
- Tongan Air Wing
- Support Unit
- Territorial Forces
Tongan Maritime Force
The Maritime Force is equipped with two Guardian-class patrol boats, provided by Australia under the Pacific Maritime Security Program, a tanker, a Landing Craft Mechanised and a motor boat, that is the royal yacht.[5] Tongan Maritime Force performs patrol missions, occasionally dealing with border violations, at the Minerva Reef and Tonga's restricted fishing zones.[2]
Royal Tongan Marines
The Royal Tongan Marine Infantry is organized as a single Battalion size group with a HQ and 3 Light Infantry Companies, based at Fua'amotu.[6]
Tongan Royal Guards
The Tongan Royal Guards are a company size unit that are responsible for the security of His Majesty. The Royal Guard maintains a musical unit known as the Tonga Royal Corps of Musicians that serves as a military band for different occasions.
Tongan Air Wing
On 4 May 1996 the Air Wing was created. A Beech 18 was taken into service. In 1999 a Citabria was obtained to help with training of the Beech 18.[7]
International Defence Organisations
The HMAF is a member of the following international defence organisations:
- Pacific Armies Management Seminar
- Pacific Area Senior Officers Logistics Seminar
- Western Pacific Naval Symposium
- International Hydrographic Organization
- South Pacific Hydrographic Commission
- NATO Codification, where though Pacific Codification System, Tonga and Fiji are sponsored by Australia
Tonga has an agreement to share "disaster response knowledge" with the United States Nevada National Guard.[8]
Ranks
The ranks used by His Majesty's Armed Forces are similar to those used in other Commonwealth armed forces.[9]
Commanders
Until 2013, commanders were called Commander of the Tongan Defence Services. After 2013, they are now called Chief of the Defence Staff of the HMAF.[10]
Equipment
Small arms
| Model | Image | Origin | Type | Calibre | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handguns | ||||||
| Glock 17 | 
|
 AUT
|
Pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | ||
| Bolt-action rifles | ||||||
| Lee Enfield No.4 | 
|
 UK
|
Bolt-action rifle | .303 | Acquired from New Zealand; many remain unissued and in storage.[11] | |
| Submachine guns | ||||||
| Uzi | 
|
 ISR
|
Sub-machine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | ||
| Assault rifles | ||||||
| FN FNC | 
|
 BEL
|
Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm | Standard service rifle of Tonga.[11] | |
| IMI Galil | 
|
ISR
|
Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm | Donated by Israel in 1988.[11] | |
| M4A1 | 
|
 USA
|
Carbine rifle | 5.56×45mm | ||
| Machine guns | ||||||
| M2 Browning | 
|
USA
|
Heavy machine gun | 12.7x99mm NATO | ||
Vehicles
| Model | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeled vehicles | |||||
| Unimog U1700 | 
|
 Australia
|
Military truck | Five | Five donated by Australia in 2018.[12] |
References
- ^ "Tonga - His Majesty's Armed Forces".
- ^ a b "Name Change". Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "HMAF Organisation". Tonga Ministry of Information & Communications. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Tonga Defence Services (His Majesty's Armed Forces)". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ Moore, John (1984). Jane's All The World's Fighting Ships. Jane's Publishing. p. 465. ISBN 0710607741.
- ^ "Tonga - His Majesty's Armed Forces". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ "His Majesty's Armed Forces of Tonga – Aeroflight". 2016-05-02. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ Fournier, Dennis (May 2014). "State begins partnership with Kingdom of Tonga". National Guard. Vol. 68, no. 4. National Guard Association of the United States. p. 39. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
- ^ Millen, P.G. (June 1983). The Visiting Forces (Relative Ranks) Regulations (PDF). Wellington: Government of New Zealand. p. 49. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Tonga Defence Services (Amendment) Act 2013" (PDF). paclii.org. p. 6. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Capie, David (2004). Under the Gun: The Small Arms Challenge in the Pacific. Wellington: Victoria University Press. pp. 68–69. ISBN 978-0864734532.
- ^ "Tongan Marines join Australian Forces in amphibious exercise". 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-02-10. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
External links
- Solomone Savelio (2004). "Peacekeeping Debut Royal Tongan Marines Help US Comrades in Arms". Coalition Bulletin. 14 (July): 7.
- Royal Tongan Marines are Camp Blue Diamond Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine (Photo)
- US Department of State Background Note: Tonga
- Ted Harris, "Digger History - An unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Services", 2004
