Royal Tongan Marines

The Royal Tongan Marines is the primary light infantry force of the His Majesty's Armed Forces of Tonga, it is headquartered at Taliai Military Camp Fuaʻamotu.

Tonga is an island country in Polynesia, The country is made up of 171 islands of which 45 are inhabited, Tonga was first inhabited about 400 years BC and grew into a regional power. It was a thalassocracy that conquered and controlled unprecedented swathes of the Pacific, including parts of the Solomon Islands and the whole of New Caledonia and Fiji in the west to Samoa and Niue its military history is of expeditionary warfare from the Sea, up to European discovery in 1616 and the bringing of Christianity to the Tonga Islands

• Specialised Infantry: Trained and equipped as a Light Infantry, amphibious and counterinsurgency force that can operate in jungle, littoral and urban environments.

• International cooperation: They can deploy on international operations and peacekeeping missions alongside allied forces.

• Humanitarian and domestic support as part of the HMAF, they have responsibilities for domestic functions, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and assisting civil authorities

The Royal Tongan Marines receive training and support from several international partners.

• Australia and New Zealand: Military cooperation with Australia and New Zealand is extensive. Training and education are key components of the relationship, with Tongan personnel training in Australia and New Zealand

• United States: They have been trained by US Marines and have adopted some of their customs and traditions

• Joint exercises: The Tongan Marines frequently participate in multilateral exercises with Australian, New Zealand and US Forces in urban warfare training as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC)

The Royal Tongan Marines' history includes cooperating with international military forces for training and operational purposes, counterinsurgency, and peacekeeping missions.^[1]

• Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands In 2002, Royal Tongan Marines were deployed with Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, then in 2004 they sent a contingent of 45, and a third contingent in 2005.^[2]

• War in Iraq A contingent of 45 marines from the Royal Tongan Marines participated in the Iraq War. The contingent was deployed in 2003 to support operations in Al Anbar Province.^[1][3]

• Nuku'alofa Riots In 2006 Royal Tongan Marines were deployed to assist local police in managing civil unrest.

• War in Afghanistan A contingent from the Royal Tongan Marines participated in the War in Afghanistan. The contingent was honoured at an awards presentation on 5 February 2008 at Al-Faw Palace.^[1]

Royal Tongan Marines are known for performing the traditional Sipi Tau, a Tongan war dance on formal occasions, such as transfer of authority ceremonies during deployments, and a response in kind to other war dances like the Maori Haka Peruperu performed by New Zealand Defence Force personnel.

The Royal Tongan Marines consists of;

Headquarters

• 1 Platoon
• 2 Platoon
• 3 Platoon

• His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga)
• Fuaʻamotu International Airport