In an earlier post I stated that the T26 may be too much ship for NZ and I have been asked to elaborate.
T26 will likely be one of the most effective vessel designs ever to go to sea but its a world away from what NZ and others are operating now.
The current and previous frigates have never sported a surface to surfare or long range anti air missile system. Nor have they had the electronic systems needed to support these weapon systems. To my understanding these three systems make up the bulk of the cost of the T26 in comparison to other more modest frigates such as the ANZAC. The senior navy may want and desire T26 but at what cost? The T26 is in the top percentile of cost and capability. For comparison the RCN had four equivalent vessels to the T26 in our Tribal class destroyers each with Mk 41 VLS for SM2 and two Sea King ASW helicopters. Now we are getting 15 platforms all with the ability that will replace our GP Halifax class frigates at an exponential price. A case could have been made for the RCN to follow the RN and buy fewer T26 and more T31 style vessels allowing for a balanced fleet of sixteen hulls, giving us the ability to simultaneously deploy two task groups. With so few hulls (2) the RNZN would IMHO be better served by three or four T31 style vessels. This approach would allow deployment to the ME, SCS or elsewhere while still having capacity to leave a vessel in home waters while the fourth is in refit.
Its not so much the physical size that is the issue because T31 or the Iver design are 6000 ton plus but the system load out that will make the pollies cringe. Can you honestly say that the NZG will publicly support the purchase of long range SSM and SAM systems on multiple hulls when even the limited few new P8s are not being supplied with an ASM?
The question that needs to be answered is what does NZ want its surface naval force to do? Seemlessly fit into a CBG or an Australian task group or provide real support to national interests in the SP and around the islands of your nation. Like Canada you are not an expeditionary military. And as such your equipment should reflect your needs not the needs of others. NATO has proven that with its standing naval forces that not every ship need be identical. Every participating nation brings a capability to the table. The RNZN needs hulls in the water to be in multiple places at the same time showing a presence and acting as the deterrent to aggression and lawlessness.
We can debate the whole process but what isnt likely to change is the well known political factor of doing as little as possible for defence. By the time an ANZAC replacement is announced and in the water I will be swimming, floating, with the fishes as I am closer to the end than I am to the beginning of life's journey.
So NZDF is not an expeditionary force? Hmm. The last time a war was fought on NZ soil was the NZ wars in the 19th Century (1840s - 1860/70s). Then lets see:
- Boer War
- WW1 NZ Expeditionary Force (NZEF)
- WW2 2nd NZEF
- Korean War
- Malaysian Emergency
- Konfrontasi - Indonesian Confrontation
- Vietnam War
- GW1
- Afghanistan.
Then there is the JATF (Joint Amphibious Task Force) that NZDF have.
Now lets get to the T-26. Wellington has already signalled that it's interested in it. yes our current crop of polies show little interest, but that is slowly changing, as the dragon to the north is showing her true colours in such a way that even a blind fulla can see the danger lurking.
OPSSG with all due respect I do not sit upon a hobby horse and have an opinion based upon a realistic observation. With regard to your questions;
1. No where did I say down spec. The specifications for the T31 are quite capable given the RN planned use of the vessel. The specifications allow for a vessel able to function and fight but not with long range anti air weapon systems such as SM2 thru 6 or Aster. A T31 type vessel would offer a more robust seakeeping vessel due to size plus an open architecture for ease of upgrade. Overall better than the current but with a relatively similar capability weapons and sensors.
2. A T31 type vessel like the current ANZACs would be more than capable of interacting seamlessly with a RAN, USN, RN or RCN task group because of common communications and systems. It just would play a different role than long range air defence. Still able to mount a credible response to immediate threats and and serve a purpose.
The bean counters never will care about performance. Its just $$$$. IMHO the state of western hardware as a result of rampant technology upgrading has lessoned its effectiveness. A read of current French experience in north central africa over the past number of years will expand on this very issue. New gear isnt standing up as well as the less technical older gear in the roughness of the region. I wont even mention the F35 as it is a perfect example of this.
I may live in a benign area devoid of the threats that you and many others on DT face daily but I am not so naive to believe that NZ GOTD will stump up for even a bare bones T26 FFBNW the missles. h
The replacement of the ANZACs will in all likelihood be a SK built version of a vessel similar in capabilities as the current ANZACs but on a larger hull. If I am wrong so what. I have nothing but an opinion. Hell I dont even think Junior will outfit the CSC fleet when they start commissioning if he is still around.
You do sit astride and ride a hobby horse. You've had this habit for a long time of proposing platforms that don't meet NZ requirements and don't take into account NZs culture, history, geopolitical, geographical and geostrategic conditions.
Yes I may like the OMT F370, but compared to the T-26 it doesn't stand a chance, and the T-31 as presented wouldn't be a good investment for NZ. The T-26 would be a far better fit with the RAN, RN, USN & RCN than the T-31 would ever be, especially in an area that has submarines and AShM capable platforms breeding like rabbits.
Canada is a continental nation, NZ isn't it being an island maritime nation 920 nm from its nearest neighbour, which itself is an island, albeit a continental sized one. You can't seem to understand that. I live in a country that's about 1,200 miles long and about 200 miles wide at its widest point. It has the 2nd roughest piece of water in the world (Cook Strait) that splits it in the middle which is about 30 miles wide at its narrowest point. The North Island is split diagonally by volcanoes one of which (Taupo) is a supervolcano and one of the most dangerous on the planet. The South Island is split longitudinally by a mountain range, the Southern Alps, formed by plate tectonics. The South Island is seperated from Stewart island by the 3rd roughest piece of water in the world, Foveaux Strait. Apart from some small sub Antarctic islands the next stop below NZ is Antarctica about 2100 nm south. We don't have a super power next door with a large rich population, to which we can pile our export goods into trucks and trains and just drive over the border. 99.5% of everything that we export and import has to be shipped by sea and the vast majority of that through seas within reach of the the dragon to the north and inhabited by the aforementioned submarines and AShM capable platforms breeding like rabbits.
