Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537233
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 JULY 2025 NEWS KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Call for Application For more info visit micas.art/get-involved or contact peoplet@micas.art micas.art Closing at noon on Monday 14 th July 2025 Office Attendant (Retail) Jobsplus Permit Number: 592/2025 Army's newest flagship vessel P71 out of service MALTA'S largest and most modern mil- itary ship is out of service because of a damaged shaft, further depleting the ar- my's ability to carry out offshore patrols. The P71, commissioned in March 2023, has developed a fault in one of its under- water shafts, National Security Minister Byron Camilleri confirmed in parliament. He was replying to a question by Nation- alist MP Darren Carabott. The P71 is one of two large vessels used by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) to carry offshore patrols far out at sea. The army has other vessels that are smaller and used mostly for nearshore patrols. Camilleri said "preliminary inspections" were conducted to assess the damage and ruled out it was the result of lack of main- tenance. However, the minister ignored Carabott's question as to whether the damage was the result of defective design. The P71, built by Cantiere Navale Vitto- ria in Italy, was dogged by cost overruns running into millions of euros and late delivery. It is the AFM's flagship and has a range of 2,100 nautical miles. It can accommo- date a crew of 50 and an additional 20 Special Operations Unit personnel. The P71 also has a flight deck on which a medium-sized helicopter, such as the AW139 currently in use by the AFM, can land both at night and during the day. It also carries two 9.1m-RHIBS. The vessel runs on two diesel engines and can travel at over 20 knots. But news that the P71 is currently out of service has raised eyebrows at a time when two of the AFM's three active hel- icopters are also currently out of action because of scheduled maintenance and inspections. The AFM currently operates three AgustaWestland AW139 twin-engine helicopters but the airwing's capacity was depleted over the past couple of years with the retirement of two aged Alou- ette III helicopters. The Alouettes are no longer in service after their manufacturer, Airbus Helicopters, informed operators worldwide it was stopping certification. An army spokesperson did say the AFM is "exploring options to augment its cur- rent helicopter fleet in line with its pro- curement and investment objectives" but gave no timeframe for the procurement of new helicopters. "No specific type and category has been selected at this time," the spokesperson said when asked whether the AFM had identified the type of helicopters it need- ed to replace the Alouettes. The current state of the army's sea and air assets has raised eyebrows among serving and retired soldiers, who spoke to MaltaToday on condition of anonymity. "The problem is not that helicopters are out of service because of scheduled main- tenance but that the army does not have enough assets to cater for such eventual- ities," they said, adding that plans should have been put in place years ago to replace the Alouette helicopters with new ones. But the depleted state of the army's core units that provide long-range offshore pa- trols is also of concern in the context of Malta expressing an interest in declaring exclusive economic zones in internation- al waters around the islands. "It would be expected that the AFM should have the capacity to patrol and defend Malta's EEZs if the need arises, something that would be severely ham- pered in circumstances like today's," the sources said. Apart from the helicopters, the AFM's airwing also comprises a Hawker Beech- craft King Air B200 aircraft and a Britten Norman BN-2T Islander aircraft. Only last week, the King Air had to make an emergency landing shortly after take- off because the engine covering, known as cowling, came off. The P71 accompanying the Italian navy tall ship Amerigo Vespucci out of the Grand Harbour following her three-day visit to Malta in April 2025 (Photo: AFM) As Malta considers declaring EEZ, army's capacity to monitor these areas with long-range vessels and helicopters is depleted