Royal New Zealand Navy Discussions and Updates

MrConservative

Super Moderator
Staff member
Agree that Defence is held by NZ1st but what concerns me is how much traction they will have in Cabinet. Is Winston really willing to endanger his status and the baubles of office over defence by threatening to / or take NZ1ST out of the govt?
It may not be Winston who takes them out NG.
 

Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
It may not be Winston who takes them out NG.
Yes, you could be right and it would make things very interesting, Winston can be very unpredictable and with a significant pro defence sector in the party who knows what will happen if Winston does not support it.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Yes, you could be right and it would make things very interesting, Winston can be very unpredictable and with a significant pro defence sector in the party who knows what will happen if Winston does not support it.
Yep Winston is the thistle in the electric puha patch.
 

t68

Well-Known Member
Kudos to RNZN on proceeding at warp speed compared to Canada.
I have to agree I just don't understand the logic behind Canada procurement system, you can understand the odd hiccup, it still amazes me that industry just dosn't turn on the current goverment and say when you get serious give us a call we can't be arse'd in spending money on proposal's after proposal before you change your mind again.
 

Lgjonesxjs

New Member
As Mr C predicted
First steel cut for Royal New Zealand Navy’s new tanker

Regarding the smoothness of the progress to date I wouldn't get too excited about it as there is a long way to go before we see the completed ship and there are a lot of things that can go wrong with such a complex project. The RAN's AOR's are just that, relatively uncomplex, (is there such a word) project whereas Aotearoa is ice capable and has a lot of new technology that has to be installed and work together with other ships systems. This will be a great achievement if it all works first time and to schedule. Let us hope it is so.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
I have to agree I just don't understand the logic behind Canada procurement system, you can understand the odd hiccup, it still amazes me that industry just dosn't turn on the current goverment and say when you get serious give us a call we can't be arse'd in spending money on proposal's after proposal before you change your mind again.
The short answer is all vendors dream the government of Canada will follow through with their proposals on urgently required military kit and all vendors are keen for business. I think the turning point will be the CSC tender. If junior's moronic team clusters this up, it should be a wake up call that tendering to the government of Canada is money wasted. The aerospace vendors will be paying attention no doubt.
 
Last edited:

htbrst

Active Member
Update on Manawanui:

Royal New Zealand Navy dive ship Manawanui set for decommission

The ship is due for mechanical maintenance checks at the end of February. However, with this likely to throw up major repairs including engine rebuilds costing as much as 14 million dollars, Lieutenant Commander Muzz Kenneth says it "makes more sense to put that towards the new ship"

Kenneth said the ship's fate is unclear, but the first step is to put it up for sale.

A replacement ship is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2018 and will takeover the name Manawanui, which translates to 'Big Heart'.
 

Lucasnz

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Found this interesting OIA response on the internet in regard to the RNZN. Of interest are the approx replacement dates for the protector class ships and the number of days at sea on fisheries patrol. What I would be interested to know is the total number of sea days spent in support of other government agencies. Relience soley on the fishery patrol days (which cover the last 5 years to early 2017). Overall the RNZN based on the letter:
  1. Provides one operational frigate towards government policy over period. I think it makes the JATF somewhat of a joke from a policy perspective.
  2. Fails to ultilize HMNZS Canterbury (if we accept 179 - 200 days as a normal operational range for other navies - Note I haven't been able to find anything on point with regards to this).
  3. Failed to fully utilize of the two operational IPV (during the period covered) with each IPV averaging 94 days at sea in 2016.
I have left out Endeavour (Age and refit) and the two OPV. While I would like more detail I would suggest the navy could acheive more if it was rebalanced (how is the interesting point).
 

spoz

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
As Mr C predicted
First steel cut for Royal New Zealand Navy’s new tanker

Regarding the smoothness of the progress to date I wouldn't get too excited about it as there is a long way to go before we see the completed ship and there are a lot of things that can go wrong with such a complex project. The RAN's AOR's are just that, relatively uncomplex, (is there such a word) project whereas Aotearoa is ice capable and has a lot of new technology that has to be installed and work together with other ships systems. This will be a great achievement if it all works first time and to schedule. Let us hope it is so.
Ice strengthening is fairly easily accomplished if it designed into the ship from the beginning. Complexity in warship construction these days is a function of the requirement for combat system integration. While both types of AOR are unlikely to have the full suite, the Oz ships are getting 9 LV and CIWS at least in a configuration which has not been put together before. I don’t know wahat is intended for Aotearoa but I suspect both will face challenges. BTW, when is she due to complete? - Supply is due late next year which is a pretty aggressive schedule.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Ice strengthening is fairly easily accomplished if it designed into the ship from the beginning. Complexity in warship construction these days is a function of the requirement for combat system integration. While both types of AOR are unlikely to have the full suite, the Oz ships are getting 9 LV and CIWS at least in a configuration which has not been put together before. I don’t know wahat is intended for Aotearoa but I suspect both will face challenges. BTW, when is she due to complete? - Supply is due late next year which is a pretty aggressive schedule.
IIRC the plan is for Aotearoa to arrive in NZ January 2020.
 

KiwiRob

Well-Known Member
She’s going to be a fantastic replacement for Endeavour, the only issue I have is the medical facilities, she’s roughly the same size and capacity as the Norwegian Maud, yet Maud has a 48 bed hospital, operating theatre, isolation ward and ct scanner, disaster relief is one out her core functions so not fit her with a more comprehensive medical facility??
 

MrConservative

Super Moderator
Staff member
Complexity in warship construction these days is a function of the requirement for combat system integration. While both types of AOR are unlikely to have the full suite, the Oz ships are getting 9 LV and CIWS at least in a configuration which has not been put together before. I don’t know what is intended for Aotearoa but I suspect both will face challenges.
Aotearoa will start out as FFBNW mini typhoon and phalanx. With the RNZN moving over to CAMM(M)'s there is potential downstream for greater independent self protection if circumstances require as MBDA's soft launch canisters develop further shipborne applications.
 

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
She’s going to be a fantastic replacement for Endeavour, the only issue I have is the medical facilities, she’s roughly the same size and capacity as the Norwegian Maud, yet Maud has a 48 bed hospital, operating theatre, isolation ward and ct scanner, disaster relief is one out her core functions so not fit her with a more comprehensive medical facility??
The first thing which comes to mind is that while HADR response/operations is one of the functions, the CONOPS involved are almost certainly different. The other is I do not really consider the two vessels to be 'similar' in size. The HMNZS Aotearoa is about 14 m shorter than the HNoMS Maud, and has a beam about 1.5 m less as well. Further, the Kiwi tanker will have the capacity to carry ~8,000 tonnes of diesel fuel, and about 1,500 tonnes of aviation fuel, while the Norwegian tanker will instead have a capacity for 7,000 tonnes of diesel fuel, and only 300 tonnes of aviation fuel. Yes the Norwegian vessel is designed to be able to accommodate up to 40 TEU including 200 tonnes of munitions, and/or a mix of vehicles and boats. By the same token though, the Kiwi tanker is to be able to transport up to a dozen containers, including 4 'dangerous goods' containers.

The HMNZS Aotearoa is also to have a displacement of 24,000 tonnes vs. ~26,000 for the HNoMS Maud, and a portion of the HMNZS Aotearoa's displacement is due to Polar Class 6 design requirements, since one of the other roles for the HMNZS Aotearoa is Southern Ocean and Antarctic operations in support of McMurdo Station and Scott Base.

As a side note, the HNoMS Maud does not have a 'permanent' 48-bed hospital. The Officers Lounge, non-crew lounge, and spare officer's cabins can be converted into low and high dependency wards (what I would probably call regular and either an ICU or Critical Care Unit) using kit stored in screened areas within the lounges. It might be possible to develop a similar sort of capacity to expand the medical care HMNZS Aotearoa can provide beyond the currently planned 2-berth ward and treatment room.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Te Kaha is alongside at Esquimalt in British Columbia for kits sensor and weapons system upgrade which is being undertaken by Lockheed Martin Canada. Te Kaha is expected to return to full fleet service in May 2020 with Te Mana's complete in May 2021. In other news the latest Navy Today (Feb 2018) reports that all four IPVs will be back in service this year.
 

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
Te Kaha is alongside at Esquimalt in British Columbia for kits sensor and weapons system upgrade which is being undertaken by Lockheed Martin Canada. Te Kaha is expected to return to full fleet service in May 2020 with Te Mana's complete in May 2021. In other news the latest Navy Today (Feb 2018) reports that all four IPVs will be back in service this year.
Any idea when Te Mana goes alongside for the Sea Ceptor upgrade? I am curious if or when the RNZN might find itself without any frigates available for deployment.
 
Top