The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has deployed two Bluebottle Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), named Tahi and Rua, to Fiji as part of Operation Calypso, a regional maritime security mission. Delivered by the HMNZS Canterbury, the country’s largest multi-role naval vessel, the USVs will help patrol Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone and support efforts against illegal fishing, smuggling, and trafficking. The Canterbury acts as the mission’s mobile command hub and is designed for amphibious, transport, and humanitarian operations, equipped with a flight deck and well dock. A Royal New Zealand Air Force No. 42 Squadron King Air aircraft provides aerial surveillance, while the Fijian Navy remains on alert to intercept suspicious vessels. Surveillance data from the USVs is analyzed at the Maritime Essential Services Centre in Suva, jointly staffed by RNZN and Fijian personnel. Outside of normal hours, command responsibilities shift to HMNZS Matataua in Auckland. This multinational effort enhances regional maritime domain awareness and reinforces Pacific security collaboration through the integration of autonomous systems, joint command structures, and persistent ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) coverage across vast oceanic regions.
