New Zealand Defence Force

[SouthernOne]

Do you have the embassy of a belligerent in a nearby active conflict being used as a hub for its clandestine operations in neighbouring countries? Do its aircraft overfly NZ controlled airspace with transponders off? Do its Navy hold missile exercises in your EEZ?

NZ is very much dependent on trade within the western pacific which is becoming less stable very quickly.

Six countries had their exclusive economic zones annexed by a certain rising power, which also threatens another nation on a regular basis. North Korea regularly launches missiles across South Korean and Japanese air space, and tests nuclear weapons. Most of the trade in the region passes through those hot spots.

Add in increasing covert and overt efforts by a certain rising power to upend the established diplomatic, economic and political order of the region.

[Anzac]

Do you have the embassy of a belligerent in a nearby active conflict being used as a hub for its clandestine operations in neighbouring countries?

Unlikely as we keep an EYE on that sort of thing.

[na grohmiti]

Good to know. If the Irish Govt were running NZ they would be saying Australia will look after its security.

[Anzac]

If the Irish Govt were running NZ they would be saying Australia will look after its security.

Well the Australians have been saying that is exactly what they have been doing since around the year 2000 about NZ. To a certain extent it is true with respect to a shortage of frigates and a lack combat air power, they pricey sharp end of the spear stuff.

Australia's lowest post cold war Defence spend as part of GDP was 1.65% (2013) and usually has stayed in the 1.8 - 2.2% bracket. Since 2000 NZ has hardly troubled the scorers with a year after year around 1.0% and only in the last few years it has inched up and still not above where Australia has had its lowest year.

In this alternative universe if the Irish government were busy running New Zealand, the Australian government would therefore have to mind your shop. A few Virginia Class subs, F-35's, Growlers and Hobart Class Destroyers - you'd be sorted mate, you'd probably have the six Northern counties back and be eyeing the up the liberation of the Scots.

[Anzac]

In a pre-budget announcement. This is how you deal with an attrition problem in a Defence Force. It is not rocket science.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political...-rates-funding

The government's Budget this year will boost New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) pay rates by $4000 to $15,000, at a cost of $419 million (Eur 240m). A further $328m (Eur 188m) will also be spent on upgrading NZDF assets and infrastructure.

This follows an earlier $60 million (Eur 35m) lump sum boost which over 2 instalments gave every member of the NZDF on average $6000 a couple of months back to stem attrition.

[na grohmiti]

New Zealand military plays catchup in pandemic aftermath (defensenews.com)

New Zealand military plays catchup in pandemic aftermath

By Nick Lee-Frampton
Thursday, May 4
The commanding officer of the HMNZS Canterbury and the head of Joint Task Group 651.5 are seen on the bridge of the New Zealand ship. (New Zealand Defence Force) WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s military has tested some of its beach-landing equipment in an overseas environment for the first time — a type of exercise one officer admitted hasn’t happened for a while amid recruitment woes and the pandemic.

For years, the Defence Force has experienced retention and recruitment problems, and within the last few years it was tasked with supervising COVID-19 quarantine and isolation activities.

The two-week drill in Fiji — dubbed Operation Mahi Tahi — took place in March and April to ensure the New Zealand Defence Force can respond to disasters throughout the Pacific.

“We haven’t practiced this type of amphibious landing for a while,” said Lt. Callum Wilkie, the amphibious beach team commander with the Army’s 5th Movements Company. “[This] is about making sure that we are ready to assist in the Pacific if we need to respond to a [humanitarian assistance and disaster relief] situation.”

The head of the joint task group that oversaw the exercise said responding to disasters across the Pacific region is a key role for the military. “We need to train as often as we can in order to deliver this critical capability when it’s needed,” Col. Mel Childs said.
What took place?


The operation involved the 430-foot military sealift vessel HMNZS Canterbury, and nearly 300 personnel attended the event for air, sea and amphibious training scenarios.

“[We] deployed four vehicles across the beach in two [movements], exercised laying the beach mat and also exercised in pushing a ‘stuck’ [Landing Craft Medium] off the beach,” Cmdr. Bronwyn Heslop, the commanding officer of the Canterbury, told Defense News. “There wasn’t anything that didn’t go as planned.”

“The pinnacle for the [amphibious beach team] for this trip was a real-time extraction of personnel and relocation, albeit ‘giving them a lift’ back to [the Fijian city] Suva, rather than evacuating them from a stricken island,” she added. An HX-60 truck of the New Zealand Army drives off the HMNZS Canterbury at Lautoka Port in Fiji. (New Zealand Defence Force)
The Canterbury had carried 107 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment from Kadavu Island to Suva.

And at Lomolomo Beach on the Fijian island Viti Levu, one of the ship’s two 75-foot landing craft unloaded a beach preparation extraction vehicle, or BPEV. The vehicle is used to clear, construct and maintain beach lanes. This involves removing debris, such as logs and boulders; filling holes and eliminating berms; preparing the beach for laying beach matting; and pushing beached landing craft back into the sea.

The vehicle can also recover immobilized equipment by using its rear winch, said Wilkie.

A converted 20-ton Caterpillar 938K loader also operated from the landing craft. The platform can roll out a temporary trackway over soft sand to allow light vehicles — like the Pinzgauer truck or non-four-wheel drive vehicles — to get ashore.

“Having this opportunity to deploy on the Canterbury to Fiji has been a great chance for us to build up experience within the team and test the capability,” Wilkie said, “and this is the first time we’ve used both the BPEV and Cat 938K overseas, so it’s really great to see it deployed here at Lomolomo Beach.”
The New Zealand vessel Canterbury participated in an amphibious exercise near Fiji during March and April 2023. (New Zealand Defence Force)
The Canterbury can also accommodate tractor and bridge layer vehicles, and has hangar space for up to four helicopters, including the A109 and NH90.

The Canterbury entered service in June 2007. It is New Zealand’s first purpose-built strategic sealift ship and has often deployed to the South Pacific for training as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. For example, in 2016 it deployed in response to the tropical cyclone Winston, but in recent years deployments have slowed.

“The next steps are to continue building on this capability — Canterbury working with the [amphibious beach team] more — and for it to become business as usual again,” Heslop said. Playing catchup


Independent defense consultant Gordon Crane told Defense News the operation was essential for the military, should it need to conduct amphibious operations.

“Being tasked to supervise New Zealand’s COVID quarantine and isolation in recent years has not only increased attrition but reduced morale and prevented the military from maintaining its operational proficiency, which means the Defence Force now has to exercise as often as possible, both domestically and overseas,” Crane said.

The value of Operation Mahi Tahi cannot be overstated, he added. “Such activities both motivate people to join the armed services, and improve the skill and experience of serving personnel.”

Figures released by the military show that, during 2021-2022, the regular force lost nearly 30% of its uniformed, trained and experienced staff. Last year, the Army sought to recruit 539 people, but attracted only 212.

As of June 30, 2022, the Defence Force included 9,215 uniformed personnel, with the Army accounting for 4,519, followed by 2,477 in the Air Force and 2,219 in the Navy. There are also 3,000 reserve personnel and a similar number of civilians serving in the force.

This year’s attrition rate for the Army is close to 17%. Police and Royal New Zealand Navy staff are seen at the northern Auckland border at Te Hana on Nov. 17, 2021, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. (Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
But the problems aren’t new: Attrition soared in 2011 when the country introduced the so-called civilianization project — a money-saving effort that saw more than 900 Defence Force personnel resign or declared redundant. Its name stemmed from the military’s attempt to convert some military positions into civilian jobs.

By June 2012, the cumulative attrition rate for all three regular armed forces — the Air Force, Army and Navy — exceeded 20%. It reached about 23% for the Army.

Now, the Defence Force has started paying bonuses to personnel at up to NZ$10,000 (U.S. $6,203) each to keep them in their jobs.

The chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, named plumbers, electricians, carpenters, special forces personnel, Navy propulsion experts and middle managers as some of the most critical trades within the military. While he expressed hope recent cash payments might persuade people to stay, Short said it could take up to four years to train people to replace those key roles, and almost a decade to get those same skill levels back.

The New Zealand government was to release in March 2023 a defense policy and strategy statement, but has not yet done so. However, in January this year, the vice chief of the Defence Force, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, invited New Zealanders to take part in an online survey regarding the country’s future defense policy and strategy. Submissions closed on April 4.

Two weeks later, on April 18, the New Zealand Army announced a bilateral service cooperation plan with the Australian Army, called Plan Anzac. The chief of New Zealand’s Army, Maj. Gen. John Boswell, described the agreement as a significant step forward for the trans-Tasman strategic partnership.

The plan focuses on improving interoperability, maintaining bilateral cooperation in strategic areas, and addressing capability, training, readiness and common personnel issues.

About Nick Lee-Frampton
Nick Lee-Frampton is the New Zealand correspondent for Defense News.

Similar issues as us, a very different approach.

[na grohmiti]

Our people never shy away from a challenge, and the recent Operation Mahi Tahi in Fiji was no exception. HMNZS Canterbury played a vital role in transporting Air Force helicopters and assisting the Army to trial its beach landing equipment in an overseas environment for the first time. This achievement has enabled us to strengthen our capabilities for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief, and we couldn't be prouder of our people's remarkable efforts to make history in the Pacific

What a fantastic capability.

[gaff85]

Every piece of the kit used excluding the Heli would need to be purchased

[na grohmiti]

And yet, NZ has a similar population, economy and has the same staffing crisis as the Irish DF. (they also have no interceptor capability, but they do have frigates and ASW patrol aircraft.

[Anzac]

https://www.defence.govt.nz/the-late...s-taking-shape

First of the C-130J-30's on the production line with the Bulkhead signing completed.

The aircraft will also be fitted with additional specialist equipment, making it among the most capable in the world. Each will be fitted with a wide bandwidth, high speed satellite communications system and an electro-optical/infra-red camera. Imagery, video and data can be streamed in real-time and the camera allows for aerial surveillance including while undertaking transport tasks – particularly useful during search and rescue, and humanitarian and disaster relief missions.


https://www.defence.govt.nz/the-late...arket-research

RFI released for the Sea Sprite replacement. Snippets of the RFI below.

This RFI seeks Responses from Respondents who have the requisite skills, knowledge and experience to provide either the complete solution or portions of the solution, including: (a) Medium Naval Helicopters; (b) Uncrewed Aerial Systems; (c) Through Life Support solutions; (d) Training System solutions; and (e) Mission Support System and system integration.

The MHR capability must be operated worldwide from a naval aviation capable platform by day and night in all weather conditions. This service area comprises significant variation in environmental and sea conditions from tropical through to polar waters. MHR is intended to embark and operate from the decks of all aviation capable RNZN ships

The MHR must be interoperable with other NZDF force elements and any likely coalition forces, predominantly from five-eyes (AUSCANNZUKUS), NATO and Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA) partners. This will require the use of systems able to interact with friendly-force systems utilising the applicable standards, predominantly NATO standards. This applies to physical equipment associated with operating the platforms themselves as well as the use and exploitation of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.

Using its suite of active and passive sensors MHR will be able to detect, identify and track and underwater entities. MHR will share this information with naval vessels, contributing to a range of operations from combat to domain awareness. Providing critical situational awareness, MHR will be an effective tool for maritime domain awareness. If needed, MHR will be able to engage hostile subsurface entities with an appropriate air-to-sub-surface weapons.

Supply of [X] Medium Naval Helicopters Where [X] is the required number of Medium Naval Helicopters to provide three embarked flights derived in F-9-1.

Supply of three [3] Uncrewed Aerial Systems for a system capable of conducting 12 hours continuous surveillance per day (system as outlined in F-9-2 over an annual flying rate of 1285 hours. This should include the supply of spares, ground support equipment, and transport equipment and special to type transit cases/shipping containers for ashore and embarked operations (per system).

[na grohmiti]

So seahawk then?

[Anzac]

So seahawk then?

MH-60R is pretty obvious isn't it.

Some fools have suggested the Wildcat, but others have pointed out that ten years ago the Koreans bought some and instead of a second tranche went off and ordered a dozen Romeo's.

[Anzac]

https://www.defensenews.com/global/a...tatistics%20NZ.

NZ Defence budget up by $400 million to $5.3 Billion (€ 3.1 Billion) due to proposed salary increases announced last week.

[na grohmiti]

https://www.defensenews.com/global/a...tatistics%20NZ.

NZ Defence budget up by $400 million to $5.3 Billion (€ 3.1 Billion) due to proposed salary increases announced last week.

How is such a thing possible? Could you not have increased in small steps over 5 years, like we might be doing to increase it by €0.5bn.
It's amazing how 2 similar states with similar economies and requirements, deal with the same issues in completely different ways.

[Anzac]

How is such a thing possible? Could you not have increased in small steps over 5 years, like we might be doing to increase it by €0.5bn.
It's amazing how 2 similar states with similar economies and requirements, deal with the same issues in completely different ways.

I think it comes down to reading the geo-strategic room you could say. Ireland is still not reading the room and seems stuck in a pre 2020 mindset. The NZDF budget has risen by 40% over the last 5 years and the Intelligence Community budget has basically doubled to $600 million. The lack of urgency still within the Irish government is really surprising. Even with the CoD Report it is like they really do want to kick the can down the road. It should be LOA3 by 2028 and not LOA2. In a way we managed to get to LOA3 in five years Ireland should be able to do likewise.

One glimmer of hope for Ireland is that with a Chief of Defence Force rather than the more subordinate Chief of Staff at present the power dynamics in the relationship between the Minister, Cabinet and the role of civil service Department will change for the better. I understand that Ireland has been looking at the NZ and Australian model, where the CDF has full command over the Defence Force and the DefSec is basically the departmental head of the ministerial services to support the minister and the governments policies in which the CDF is the principal military advisor.