Royal New Zealand Navy Discussions and Updates

[Rob c]

Here's hoping the NZDF reprioritizes our Navy as our main defence force, shifts funding from our army to our Navy, and goes for four improved Mogamis.

My personal view is the need for a balanced expanded defence force, focusing on one section at the expence of others leaves gaps that an enemy can then use to their advantage and we will never have a navy big enough to cover the area's neccessary.
The ordering of only 5 new helicopters I think signals that there is no expansion being considered at this time.

 

[Todjaeger]

The ordering of only 5 new helicopters I think signals that there is no expansion being considered at this time.

My personal take is move along the lines of lessons from the past have not been learned. IIRC the RNZAF also did a 1:1 replacement for the C-130's...

Such small numbers of platforms might work early in the service life of a platform, but will lead to problems and unavailability for ops well before the end of service life. Penny wise (perhaps, not even sure I would agree with this one), but certainly pound foolish.

 

[StingrayOZ]

My personal view is the need for a balanced expanded defence force, focusing on one section at the expence of others leaves gaps that an enemy can then use to their advantage and we will never have a navy big enough to cover the area's neccessary.
The ordering of only 5 new helicopters I think signals that there is no expansion being considered at this time.

3 Mogami frigates, even just another 3 helicopters (which can still be ordered), would be a worthwhile upgrade for the NZDF. They wouldn't always have to be deployed. If not additional MH60s, then UUV/UAV options which are also valid.

I think another P8, LRASM (just a few housed in country) would also be really useful.

Between Australia and Japan the Mogami design has a huge number of build units. It I think would be a good platform to get into, and not only that, upgrades will happen, you have a choice of manufacturer, local support and mission wise it fits with NZ. It would certainly be the time right now to look at them very closely, maybe benchmark against type 31.