ADV Reliant
{{Short description|Auxiliary ship of Royal Australian Navy}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
|infobox caption= |display title= ADV Reliant }} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:ADV Reliant May 2024.jpg |Ship image size= |Ship caption=ADV Reliant in 2024 |image alt= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= Australia |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Australia|civil}} |Ship name=Reliant |Ship owner=Royal Australian Navy |Ship operator= Teekay Shipping Australia |Ship namesake= |Ship ordered= |Ship homeport=Brisbane |Ship identification =* {{MMSI Number|503000206}}
|Ship builder= Kleven Verft, Norway |Ship laid down= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= 2022 |Ship out of service= |Ship stricken= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship fate= |Ship status= |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= Canada |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Canada|civil}} |Ship name= Horizon Star |Ship owner= Horizon Maritime |Ship in service= 2017 |Ship out of service= 2022 |Ship homeport=St. John's, Canada{{cite AV media |last=Cooke |first=Jodi |title= State-of-the-art supply vessel waiting for next deployment offshore| type=Television production |publisher=Newfoundland Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 May 2019 |url=http://ntv.ca/state-of-the-art-supply-vessel-waiting-for-next-deployment-offshore/ |access-date=23 September 2022}} }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type= Marin Teknikk MT 6015 |Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|103|m}} |Ship beam={{convert|20|m}} |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship complement=Core crew of 19 |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=None |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities=Helicopter pad only |Ship notes=Carries LCVP }} |
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Reliant is an auxiliary ship operated for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) by Teekay Shipping Australia. The ship was purchased in February 2022 to serve as the RAN's Pacific support vessel.
Acquisition
The Australian Government announced in November 2018 that a large vessel was to be built for the RAN in Australia to undertake humanitarian tasks in the Pacific. This formed part of the government's "Pacific step-up" diplomatic initiative.{{cite press release |author1=Prime Minister |author2=Minister for Foreign Affairs |author3=Minister for Defence |title=Strengthening Australia's commitment to the Pacific |url=https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/strengthening-australias-commitment-pacific |website=Minister for Foreign Affairs website |access-date=23 September 2022 |date=8 November 2018}} The Minister for Defence said the ship would be constructed in Western Australia.{{cite news |last1=Kerr |first1=Julian |title=Defence quietly acquires Pacific Support Vessel |url=https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/sea/defence-quietly-acquires-pacific-support-vessel |access-date=23 September 2022 |work=Australian Defence Magazine |date=21 April 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Government concedes naval ship it promised to build will now be bought from overseas |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-27/defence-scraps-local-ship-build-for-overseas-purchase/100572926 |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=ABC News |date=27 October 2021 |language=en-AU}} The 2020 Force Structure Plan stated
that a Pacific support vessel would be built in Australia.{{cite book |author1=Department of Defence |title=2020 Force Structure Plan |date=2020 |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |isbn=9780994168061 |url=https://www1.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/2020_Force_Structure_Plan.pdf |pages=12,41 |access-date=23 September 2022}}
During a Senate Estimates hearing in October 2021, Department of Defence officials stated that the government had decided instead to purchase the ship from overseas rather than build it in Australia. This decision had not been previously announced, and followed reports that the Australian shipbuilding industry lacked the capacity to construct the ship due to other priorities. The opposition Labor Party was critical of this decision, but the government stated that it would allow the ship to enter service earlier.
In February 2022, the offshore supply vessel Horizon Star was purchased for US$67 million from Canadian company Horizon Maritime. This ship had been built in Norway, and originally entered service in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Industry anger after Defence spends $90 million on second-hand vessel in Canary Islands |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-19/industry-anger-defence-spend-second-hand-vessel-canary-islands/100997222 |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=ABC News |date=18 April 2022 |language=en-AU}}{{cite web |title=RELIANT, Offshore Support Vessel - Details and current position - IMO 9752254 - VesselFinder |url=https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/RELIANT-IMO-9752254-MMSI-503000206 |website=Vessel Finder |access-date=4 September 2022}} Following the purchase the ship underwent maintenance and checks in the Canary Islands, and sailed for Australia in May 2022.{{cite news |last1=Felton |first1=Benjamin |title=Australia's Pacific Support Vessel: What to make of ADV Reliant |url=https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/sea/australia-s-pacific-support-vessel-what-to-make-of-adv-reliant |access-date=4 September 2022 |work=Australian Defence Magazine |date=4 August 2022 |language=en}} She was renamed Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Reliant while in the Canary Islands.
==Characteristics==
Reliant has a displacement of approximately 5,600 tons, and is {{convert|103|m}} long and {{convert|20|m}} wide. She has a large cargo deck and a crane. The ship's bridge, helipad and crew accommodation is located in her large forward superstructure. The ship "can produce thousands of litres of fresh water per day".
File:Stern of ADV Reliant May 2024.jpg
In September 2022, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, stated that the tasks Reliant is capable of included "marine survey, delivering heavy equipment, search and rescue training, and disaster relief and recovery".
The ship's capabilities upon delivery were criticised. She lacks the ability to operate landing craft. She also cannot embark a helicopter due to the absence of a hangar or aviation fuel storage facilities, and there is no direct connection between the cargo deck and helipad. The Australian Defence Magazine has written that these missing features are "widely seen as crucial for successful HADR [humanitarian assistance and disaster relief] operations, as they enable infrastructure independent transport". An article by the retired RAN officer Bob Moyse published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute stated that "the Reliant is likely to be of limited use for disaster relief" due to these issues.{{cite web |last1=Moyse |first1=Bob |title=Pacific support vessel another platform that doesn't fit Australia's policies |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/pacific-support-vessel-another-platform-that-doesnt-fit-australias-policies/ |website=The Strategist |publisher=Australian Strategic Policy Institute |access-date=4 September 2022 |date=17 May 2022}}
Under project SEA 3033 Phase 2, Reliant is to receive an upgrade. While the goals of the project have not been announced, the Australian Defence Magazine stated that they may include improvements to her helicopter and landing craft capabilities and possibly fitting the ship with small calibre weapons. Moyse argued that these upgrades would not make Reliant fit for her intended purpose, as she can only enter deep ports and cargo would need to be loaded onto the landing craft with the ship's crane, which is an not an efficient approach.
As of 2024 Reliant was crewed by a civilian crew of 18, augmented by four RAN sailors, a Navy liaison officer and two Australian Army soldiers.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Carolyn |date=13 February 2024 |title=Successful patrol aboard ADV Reliant |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2024-02-13/successful-patrol-aboard-adv-reliant}}
The RAN ordered two light landing craft in July 2024 to operate from Reliant. They are expected to be delivered in the first half of 2025.{{cite news |title=RAN selects The Whiskey Project for new landing craft - Australian Defence Magazine |url=https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/ran-selects-the-whiskey-project-for-new-landing-craft |access-date=25 December 2024 |work=Australian Defence Magazine |language=en}} The craft will replace the LCVP which Reliant currently embarks and are expected to be larger and faster.{{cite news |title=RAN selects new landing craft for Pacific Support Vessel |url=https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/ran-selects-new-landing-craft-for-pacific-support-vessel/ |access-date=25 December 2024 |work=Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter |date=25 July 2024 |language=en-AU}}
Operational service
During its voyage to Australia, Reliant supported RAN activities in Fiji and patrolled the exclusive economic zones of the Cook Islands and Samoa.
As of August 2022, Reliant formed part of the RAN's National Support Squadron. Like the other ships in the squadron, she is crewed by civilian mariners employed by Teekay Shipping Australia and a single RAN naval liaison officer.{{cite press release |last1=Massie |first1=CMDR Mark |title=Pacific support vessel shoots to thrill |url=https://news.defence.gov.au/capability/pacific-support-vessel-shoots-thrill |publisher=Department of Defence |date= 26 August 2022 |access-date=4 September 2022}} In September 2022, the crew comprised 18 Teekay employees and a RAN officer. Other personnel will be embarked when needed for specific tasks.{{cite press release |last1=Trembath |first1=LT Brendan |title=A vessel Pacific partners can rely on |url=https://news.defence.gov.au/international/vessel-pacific-partners-can-rely |date=5 September 2022 |publisher=Department of Defence |access-date=5 September 2022}} Reliant is based in Brisbane and is scheduled to operate in the Pacific for 250 to 300 days annually. The Australian Defence Force will control the ship, with taskings being determined in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In March 2023 Reliant was used to recover an Army MRH-90 helicopter that had ditched at Jervis Bay.{{cite news |last1=Fernandez |first1=Tim |title=Stranded Army helicopter recovered by Defence |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-24/army-chopper-recovered-by-defence/102143148 |access-date=24 March 2023 |work=ABC News |date=24 March 2023 |language=en-AU}} Reliant was one of several ships used to recover wreckage from an MRH-90 that crashed into the sea near Lindeman Island in Queensland during a training exercise in July 2023.{{cite web |title=Exercise Talisman Sabre incident |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2023-08-01/exercise-talisman-sabre-incident |publisher=Department of Defence |access-date=11 May 2024}}
References
{{commonscat|ADV Reliant}}
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reliant, ADV}}