nz_f

8/13/2019 NZ_F

1/5

8/13/2019 NZ_F

2/5

has seen numerous training opportuni-ties for Singapore forces in NZ and thebasing of equipment there, assists the

NZDF with technologies like the MistralVLLAD system.

As stated in the 97 ReviewAustralia is New Zealands closest andmost important security partner. Thealliance with Australia, born of theCanberra Pact and formalised in ANZUS,remains central to New Zealandsdefence policy. Polls also showed that94% consider the security of Australia

to be very or fairly important to NZ.Reliance on Australia has increasedever since NZ implemented a nuclearfree policy that weakened US defencerelations. Since 1991, cooperation has

been reinforced by a multitude of linksas part of Closer Defence Relations(CDR). These CDR have manifestedthemselves in ways like the joint ANZAC

frigate program, joint exercises andtraining opportunities and the basing ofRNZAF Skyhawks in Nowra to assistRAN fleet training.

The 97 Review approved funding

injections of some NZ$663 million over

five years, on top of the baseline bud-

get, for capital programs but this hasbeen shown to be woefully inadequate,

considering the range of required pro-

grams that currently lack funding. This

is especially true considering the

unfavourable downturn in the value ofthe NZ$ vs. the US$ as this drives up the

cost of most capital acquisitions.

Some NZ politicians do not seem tograsp the benefits of maintaining an

adequately funded general purpose mili-

tary that would give the government a

wider range of options. Defence spend-ing has been cut by over 30% during the

past decade and currently stands at

less than 1.1% of GDP which is well

below international average. Post-elec-tion defence briefing papers have stated

that the tight defence budgets of the

1980s and 1990s have resulted in a

decline in current force equipment reli-

ability, interoperability with friendlyforces and combat viability. This is out

of step with public opinion polls which

have shown over half the responentssupport increasing government expen-

ditures on defence.

The previous governments stance

was that security within the Asia-Pacific region is of prime importance to

NZ. We are a maritime region sur-

rounded by vast distances that can only

be protected by a str ong and well-

equipped naval and air force. a

reform of defence f orce capabilities

(under a new Labour Government) thatfocuses on land forces and downplays

the need for a blue-water navy and air

strike capability would dramatically

reduce the deployment options avail-able to a future government to respond

to what is an uncertain future security

environment.

The new Labour government hasalready completed a new Defence

Assessment, to determine the future

structure of the NZDF to enhance its

ability to support peace support opera-tions by the RNZA, that places an air

combat capability as its lowest priority.

The new Assessment was fast tracked

(in two months), even though Labourhad billed this as the first comprehen-

sive review of overall defence policy

13VANGUARD Issue 3 2000

CURRENT DEFENCE BUDGETNZ$1.6 billion

C u r rent Force Levels:

N a v y : 1,861 personnel(plus 381 Volunteer Reserves)

3 Frigates (2 ANZAC, 1 Leander)7 IPC/MCM, inshore survey (2 laid up)1 Replenishment ship1 Ro-Ro (future Military Sealift) ship

A rm y 4,500 personnel(plus 5,000 Territorial Force)

26 Recce (Scorpion: 18 in storage)78 Tracked APC (M-113)43 Towed 105mm artillery (incl. 24 Hamel)

Army Unit Formations(RF = Regular Force, TF = Territorial Force)

1 Bde (2 RF plus 1 composite TF Inf Bn)

8 Infantry Bns (2RF + 6TF)1 Armoured Regt (Joint RF/TF) plus TF Recce Sqn1 SAS Group (2 RF Squadrons)1 Artillery Regt (Joint RF/TF) plus TF Bty1 Engineer Regt (RF) plus 1 TF Sqn3 Logistics Regt

Air Force: 3,065 personnel19 Strike aircraft (A-4K Skyhawk)7 Transports (5 C-130H, 2 B727)6 Maritime Patrol (P-3K Orion)

3/5 Light Maritime helicopters (SH-2F/G Seasprite)14 Light Tactical Transport helicopters

(UH-1H Iroquois)

Basic Facts: NEW ZEALAND

Total Area 268,680 sq km.[two-island nation,slightly larger than UK]Also: Antipodes; Auckland;Bounty; Campbell; Chathamand Kermadec Islands

Government Democratic monarchy

Capital Wellington

Terrain Predominantly mountainouswith some large coastalplains. Lies across theTasman Sea SE of Australia.

Population 3.8 million (April 2000)

Ethnic Gr oups 74.5% NZ European,9.7% Maori,

4.6% European,3.8% Pacific Islander,7.4% Asian and other

Religion 24% Anglican,18% Presbyterian,15% Roman Catholic,10% Other,33% unspecified or none

Languages English (official), Maori

Stewart Island

South

Island

North

Island

Christchurch

Burnham

TasmanSea

PacificOcean

Trentham

Auckland

New

Zealand

Linton

Waiouru

Wellington

8/13/2019 NZ_F

3/5

since the substantive 1991 Review. It is

mainly based on the conclusions of the

Review of the lease of the F-16 report

by former MP Derek Quigley which,some argue, had flawed and erroneous

assumptions.

This approach basically rests upon

the tenets, as mentioned in the latest

issue of NZ Defenc e Quarterlyby com-mentator Colin James, that only such

fighting is to be done and prepared for

as is necessary to make or maintainpeace and that only such money as is

necessary for that limited capability is

to be spent, thus relegating the RNZAF

and RNZN to be transport forces for theRNZA in the future. This abrupt shift in

strategic policy is already witnessed by

the recent decision to terminate the

F-16 lease to free up transport fundsand for re-equipping of the RNZA.

Additionally, it was decided against the

purchase of a third ANZAC frigate inpreference of smaller multi-roleOffshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

Meanwhile the RNZAF is unlikely to

be able to replace its Skyhawks if they

are retired by 2007 as it is improbablethat funds, much greater than the gen-

erous NZ$363 million for two five-year

leases including support equipment and

start-up costs plus NZ$287 million foroutright purchase of the F-16s, would

be approved. This is unfortunate con-

sidering the 1999Annual Reports ta ted

that NZ would contribute effectively tothe common security of the Australia-

NZ strategic area by maintaining

defence capabilities that are interopera-

ble with those of Australia and that canlook after New Zealands fair share of

the defence burden.

This approach is at odds with the

fundamental tenets of NZ defence policyand could alienate both regional allies,

and the US, as both naval and air com-

bat capabilities are fundamental in

demonstrating that NZ is serious about

its own defence and committed toregional security. This also ignores the

prevailing environment, such as insta-

bility in Indonesia, the rise of national-ism and expanding military capabilities

of key regional states, just as Australia

perceives that the post-Cold war strate-

gic environment has deteriorated, andis publishing a new White Paper this

year to reflect this updated strategic

assessment of the region.

Royal NZ Navy (RNZN)

Of the three services the RNZN is

presently in the best shape as it

recently completed the acquisition of

two ANZAC frigates as part of a joint Oz-Kiwi purchase, including an ANZAC

Combat System Tactical Training andSystem Support Facility in Auckland,

while a Bridge Simulator has beenordered for installation at Devonport

naval base to be operational by

September 2000. Allowances have been

made to fit Harpoon SSMs at a futuredate and are fitted for, but not with, a

Phalanx CIWS. Also planned is the

acquisition of a towed array sonar sys-

tem for the ANZACs plus the procure-ment of the Evolved Seasparrow Missile

(ESSM) which will allow the eight-cell

Mk 41 VLS which currently carries 8RIM-7P Seasparrow to accommodate 32quad-packed ESSM.

Approval has finally been received

to proceed with the phase three conver-

sion of the former Ro-Ro ferry CharlesUpham, acquired in December 1994 but

under commercial charter for the last

three years, into an operational military

Sealift ship as the 1991 Review n o t e dthe RNZN had insufficient transport to

deploy and sustain a reinforced battal-

ion group away from NZ. The delay inimplementing the modifications has

been sorely felt as HMNZS Charles

Upham was unavailable for the East

Timor deployment.

The remaining 5 operational Inshore

Patrol Craft (IPC) of the indigenously

designed and produced MOA class are

operated by the RNZNVR and provide a

limited MCM capability for NZ har-

bours, similar to that provided by the

better armed Canadian Kingston class

MCDVs, although it is planned to add a

remote minehunting system.

The decision to walk away from the

purchase of a third ANZAC frigate is ill

considered as the former Chief of Naval

Staff (CNS) Rear Adm. Fred Wilson

noted that based on our analysis, four

ANZAC frigates are required to meet

current output requirements and fully

meet the defence policy objectives. As

noted by the current CNS Rear Adm.

Peter McHaffie the ANZAC scores in

terms of endurance, interoperability,

supportability, and the logistics avail-

ability that comes by being part of a 10-

ship program with the Royal Australian

Navy (RAN).


A No2 Squadron A4-K Skyhawk

overflies Royal Australian

Navy ship HMAS ADELAIDE

during exercises off the

Australian Coast.

8/13/2019 NZ_F

4/5

A previous CNS Rear Adm. Jack

Welch notes that an analysis of smaller

OPVs being procured as an ANZAC

alternative reveals that they are not ascheap overall as their capital cost would

suggest. The Navy would have to pur-

chase the infrastructure to support yet

another class of ship and would need

to train for additional special skills toman them. In a small navy such as ours,

the effect would be quite profound and

costly. Besides, in terms of forcestructure, the OPV does not sit well in

the NZ situation. This is a small island

nation which is assessed as unlikely to

be territorially threatened in the fore-seeable future. It follows that the Navy

does not need to develop a force specif-

ically for territorial defence The OPV

is, by its size, limited in its ability tocontribute to operations with a coali-

tion force at long distances from NZ, in

all weathers and for long periods. Thefrigate does not have these limitations.

The purchase of a third ANZAC

frigate could make fiscal sense as it

could allow for the operational rotation

of one deployed on MIF type missionsand as noted in the 97 Review t h e

Southern Ocean includes some of the

roughest seas. The farthest part of the

Cook Islands, for which we have defenceresponsibilities, is 4,000 km from NZ.

To overcome the operational limitation

of a small navy the RNZN could sign an

Admiral Benelux type agreement withthe RAN similar to that signed by the

Belgian and Dutch navies. Operation as

an integrated fleet would strengthen

capability in peacekeeping, SAR andhumanitarian operations and financial

benefits would accrue through joint

logistics procurement and training while

fully utilising common infrastructures.

Royal NZ Army (RNZA)

The RNZA is structured around two reg-ular land force groups based on the twomain islands and provides the capacity

for one to command the field brigadewhile the other oversees sustainmentarrangements. Plans are in place toexpand the Army to 4,900 by 2005/6 aswell as adding a fourth rifle company toeach regular force battalion (Bn), com-mencing in 2001 and completing by2005. It is the main beneficiary of aNZ$500 million re-equipment programthat aims to upgrade the RNZAs: mobil-

ity; communications; surveillance andfire-support capabilities. This isbecause, as noted by the NZ PM, DrHelen Clark, we feel if there is onething that has let us down in our over-

seas deployments, it is the antiquatednature of the NZ Armys equipment, andthat is right at the top of our priority listfor significant expenditure.

Topping the list is a program to pro-

vide new wheeled armoured vehicles,

based on the Diesel Division General

Motors of Canada LAV-III/Bison APC

family and their Australian ASLAV vari-

ants to replace the current tracked fleet

which is proving very expensive to keepoperating. This is expected to comprise24 fire-support vehicles (FSV) and some

80 infantry mobility vehicles (IMV) con-

figured for various roles.

The FSV/IMV project will providethe RNZA with enough vehicles to

motorise one RF Bn group and a com-

pany of the second Bn with approval to

purchase to be presented to the govern-

ment mid-year for an in service date of

mid-2002. There is presently a program

in place to refurbish 150 Unimog

medium trucks to double their opera-tional life to 30 years and allow the

medium vehicle replacement programto be postponed until at least 2010.

NZ has already purchased 30 (out of

total of 115) Holden Rodeo 4WD vehicles

for the East Timor deployment out of a

total of 423 new Light Operational

Vehicles (LOV) being purchased to

replace the Armys 567 obsolete

Landrovers. The total purchase includ-

ing some 115 non-military vehicles a n dthe balance as standard military vehi-

cles. A program to acquire Sincgars tac-tical radios under a FMS from the US isunderway to improve interoperability

with likely allies. New FN heavy machine

guns have been acquired for Point

Direct Fire Support Weapon (DFSW)

role although tenders have been

deferred for the Area DFSW and the

Medium Range Anti-Armour Weapon as

have targeting systems for the Point

DFSW and the VLLAD detachment.


Royal Regiment New Zealand Artillery.105mm gun detachment live firing duringexercises at Waiouru Army Camp.

HMNZS TeKaha entering Auckland for the first time 11 July 1997.

8/13/2019 NZ_F

5/5

nz_f

Documents