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  • #46


    Former New Zealand Army captain and New Zealand First deputy leader Ron Mark is set to become Defence Minister in the Labour-New Zealand First Government.

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    • #47
      More than 3000 defence personnel from 12 countries are taking part in New Zealand's largest military exercise throughout the upper South Island.


      Cast of thousands in South Island defence exercise
      8:45 pm on 21 October 2017
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      Tracy Neal Tracy Neal, Nelson Reporter
      tracy.neal@radionz.co.nz
      More than 3000 defence personnel from 12 countries are taking part in New Zealand's largest military exercise throughout the upper South Island.

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      • #48


        WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Following New Zealand’s election last month, a tripartite coalition government comprised of the Labour, NZ First and Green parties was sworn in Thursday.

        Ron Marks, 63, a member of the NZ First party and a former soldier, has been appointed minister of defense.

        He joined the New Zealand Army in 1971 and successfully completed the special forces selection course in 1982, followed by a tour of duty in the Sinai Desert.

        In 1985, he left the Army as a captain and served with the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces in Dhofar until 1990.

        He first became a member of parliament in 1996.

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        • #49
          Originally posted by TangoSierra View Post
          https://www.defensenews.com/global/a...20Bird%20Brief

          WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Following New Zealand’s election last month, a tripartite coalition government comprised of the Labour, NZ First and Green parties was sworn in Thursday.

          Ron Marks, 63, a member of the NZ First party and a former soldier, has been appointed minister of defense.

          He joined the New Zealand Army in 1971 and successfully completed the special forces selection course in 1982, followed by a tour of duty in the Sinai Desert.

          In 1985, he left the Army as a captain and served with the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces in Dhofar until 1990.

          He first became a member of parliament in 1996.
          This is a very strange political marriage typical of a MMP style election. The NZ First Party is a kind of Brexit-Trump conservative nationalists lot surprisingly in with Labour and the fringe Greens who are polar opposites when it comes to defence. NZ First with a DefMIn and a Foreign Minister who is also the DepPM and another parliamentary U/S outside of Cabinet for Foreign Affairs holds the influence on external relations. One of the political policies that NZ First are very keen on is to restore New Zealand’s strike capability with a small advanced force of jet trainer and combat aircraft by 2020, which some are reading the tea leaves as the FA-50 whom Mr Mark mentioned as an example. That remains to be seen but NZ First have kept the former governments $18.3 billion spending plan on Cap Ex through to 2030 on track.
          Last edited by Anzac; 29 October 2017, 01:23.

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          • #50
            Originally posted by Anzac View Post
            One of the political policies that NZ First are very keen on is to restore New Zealand’s strike capability with a small advanced force of jet trainer and combat aircraft by 2020, which some are reading the tea leaves as the FA-50 whom Mr Mark mentioned as an example. That remains to be seen but NZ First have kept the former governments $18.3 billion spending plan on Cap Ex through to 2030 on track.


            Being mentioned in the political media here is that the NZ Defence Minister is looking at picking up excess F/A-18AM's from the RAAF when they go over to the F-35. Canada is also interested in 18 of the 72 they fly and has made a formal offer.

            The above link is from an anti-defence lefty journalist fill of doom and gloom and ignorance - reference to the F/A-18's is in the second article. May be nothing in it but NZ once bought an operational Squadron of 20 year old ex OZ A-4's and spares for $24 million back in the 1980s and upgraded them.

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            • #51
              The NZ Army Future Land Operating Concept has been released.



              It is worth a read in my view. Looks to how a small fairly cash strapped Army can stay relevant in the expected contested world of 2035.

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              • #52
                Seems that the NZ ANZAC upgrades (over 500 million) means that the suggested "Littoral Support Ship" has been cancelled, wonder why NZ went with the upgrades they have picked rather than going with the RAN upgrade, along with the fact that they are going to be the only Sea Ceptor user in the Pacific currently...

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                • #53
                  Originally posted by Sparky42 View Post
                  Seems that the NZ ANZAC upgrades (over 500 million) means that the suggested "Littoral Support Ship" has been cancelled, wonder why NZ went with the upgrades they have picked rather than going with the RAN upgrade, along with the fact that they are going to be the only Sea Ceptor user in the Pacific currently...
                  The high end LOSV tender has been chopped but they are still replacing current Dive/MCM vessel which will be in service next year. The full capability expeditionary littoral warfare vessel is still on the DWP long term plans.

                  The RAN ANZAC upgrade approach was cheaper per ship and by quite a margin. Why did they go with alternative configuration? Because there was a view that the RAN upgraded ships are right on the displacement limit and would not have the kind of seakeeping for NZ waters which include the Southern Ocean.

                  Sea Ceptor is not a bad approach and will make in roads over time in the Asia Pacific. With ESSM even quad packed there is all that extra weight, space and maintenance required to fit extra Mk41 VLS cells. The NZ Anzacs are removing their Tac length Mk41 cells as they are now deadweight and space hogs.

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                  • #54
                    Originally posted by Anzac View Post

                    The RAN ANZAC upgrade approach was cheaper per ship and by quite a margin. Why did they go with alternative configuration? Because there was a view that the RAN upgraded ships are right on the displacement limit and would not have the kind of seakeeping for NZ waters which include the Southern Ocean.

                    Sea Ceptor is not a bad approach and will make in roads over time in the Asia Pacific. With ESSM even quad packed there is all that extra weight, space and maintenance required to fit extra Mk41 VLS cells. The NZ Anzacs are removing their Tac length Mk41 cells as they are now deadweight and space hogs.

                    Keep in mind that the RAN ships have been upgraded through a series of separately funded projects. The last of these will see the installation of a phased array long range L-Band search radar to replace the current SP-49, which will be additional to the current X and S band arrays. They will have a radar suite that’s far more capable, and likely far more expenses, than the set up that will be fitted to the NZ ships.

                    The RAN ships have also had a lot of hull work competed to restore buoyancy margins, including fully enclosing the quarterdeck.

                    Yes, ESSM is heavy compared to SeaCeptor, but that's essentially because its a much faster missile with a significantly longer range.

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                    • #55
                      Originally posted by SouthernOne View Post
                      Keep in mind that the RAN ships have been upgraded through a series of separately funded projects. The last of these will see the installation of a phased array long range L-Band search radar to replace the current SP-49, which will be additional to the current X and S band arrays. They will have a radar suite that’s far more capable, and likely far more expenses, than the set up that will be fitted to the NZ ships.

                      The RAN ships have also had a lot of hull work competed to restore buoyancy margins, including fully enclosing the quarterdeck.

                      Yes, ESSM is heavy compared to SeaCeptor, but that's essentially because its a much faster missile with a significantly longer range.
                      The NZ Anzacs also completed a propulsion and systems upgrade just prior to the FSU project. They were effectively gutted internally and the quarterdeck semi enclosed.

                      I recently attended the decommissioning of Manawanui and asked a 4 striper why the RNZN did not dovetail with the RAN. "The question we posed was what are our operational priorities? The RAN Anzacs met what they wanted to do but not what we wanted." The further points that he made were 1) the upgrade decision was not made lightly and evolved over years 2) Sea keeping was a significant factor and they believe they got the best balance and will end up with a faster and more agile ship. 3) The RAN requirements favoured a greater emphasis on AD than was deemed necessary for the RNZN which required stable general purpose frigate with good effective LAAD for the conditions it will operate until we replace them.

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                      • #56
                        As a heads-up to those who are interested the first of 4 Beechcraft Kingair 350i's are currently being delivered from Hawker Pacific Australia to RNZAF Ohakea for 42 Sqd. The base airframes are low houred recent builds and will undergo pre delivery fitout by Hawker Pacific NZ. It is still not clear if they will replace the leased B200's presently in service. The B200's currently deliver multi-engine pilot training, consolidation flying, short-range light transport (including VIP tasks). The B350's will have a sensor suite fitted to enable Air Warfare Specialist training and inner EEZ maritime patrol for fisheries & customs work. In recent years RNZAF air warfare training has been conducted in Australia however a decision was made to bring it back in house. To add all that workload onto just 4 platforms seems somewhat hectic though I understand that sims and procedral trainers would alleviate much. Furthermore training front seaters and back seaters at the same time in real world - real time conditions on occasions would have benefits.

                        The new DefMin is also undertaking a review of the previous governments $20 billion defence capitalisation spend and has asked the US DefSec for an extension to the offer and acceptance timetable of the P-8A's requested last year. Some see this as nefarious and a sign that the government would not commit to the deal however I think it has more to do with the new DefMin being seen to not rubber stamp the previous governments selection without some political theatre.

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                        • #57
                          Following up on the order of the four KA-350-ER's the decision on the four RNZAF P8A Poseidons to replace the six P-3K's will go to Cabinet in 2 weeks. The NZ Govt have until mid July to confirm their USD$1.4B order with the US DoD.

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                          • #58
                            Originally posted by Anzac View Post
                            Following up on the order of the four KA-350-ER's the decision on the four RNZAF P8A Poseidons to replace the six P-3K's will go to Cabinet in 2 weeks. The NZ Govt have until mid July to confirm their USD$1.4B order with the US DoD.
                            Media article confirming my post from a week or so ago:



                            There will be Champagne in 5Sqd if this gets over the line. Next up will be the C-130H replacement.

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                            • #59
                              The New Zealand Defence Force Force has released its 2018 Strategic Defence Policy Statement

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                              • #60
                                Thats a very nice paper I forgot they were one of the five eyes
                                Last edited by trellheim; 6 July 2018, 12:16.
                                "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

                                "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

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