New Zealand MIlitary News

The military of New Zealand is maid up of the following:

RNZAF:53 aircraft

UH-1 transport helicopters with 14 in service.

SH-2 anti-submarine and anti-ship helicopters with 5 in service.

P-3 Marintime patrol aircraft with 6 in service.

C-130 transpotrs with 5 in service.

8 NH-90 helicopters in enter service in 2010 to replace the UH-1.

2 757 transports are curently the only jet powered aircraft in service.

3 Breech King Air transports for traning.

13 CT-4 basic flying trainers

and 5 Bell 47 training helicopters.

Air Combat: sorry all A-4 and MB-339 attack jets retired in 2001, it is now off the agenda for the RNZAF.

RNZN:

The combat force of the Navy is maid up of 2 ANZAC class Firgates. There are also several other types of support ships in service but I don't know what they are.

RNZA:

100 LAV IFV with 25mm chain gun.
34 105mm artillery canons.
60 and 80mm morters.
12 Miseral SAMs, the 2 ANZAC ships also have SAMs.
no tanks anymore.

Infanty weapons:
Auster 5.56mm assualt rifle.
P226 9mm pistol.
M203 40mm grenade launcher.
24 Javilan anti-tank missiles.
M2HB .50 caliber machine gun.
M249 and M240 light and medium machine guns.
Veroius types of shoulder fired rocket launchers.

That is what I know about the Military of New Zealand.:coffee:

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

This is something that I really wonder for a while now. New Zealand is so much larger than Singapore, yet her army is so tiny. Look at their equipment. Not to mention their really small Navy. Their Air Force is next to nothing. They have no combat aircraft types and so how to they expect to escort their support air fleet?

Is it because New Zealand felt really safe and that Australia will come to their aid if anything happen? Some one please advise me on this.

Thanks.

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

rhino123 said:

This is something that I really wonder for a while now. New Zealand is so much larger than Singapore, yet her army is so tiny. Look at their equipment. Not to mention their really small Navy. Their Air Force is next to nothing. They have no combat aircraft types and so how to they expect to escort their support air fleet?

Is it because New Zealand felt really safe and that Australia will come to their aid if anything happen? Some one please advise me on this.

Thanks.

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I think it has to do with politics more than anything. I do know in 2001 the Labor Government decided to get rid of the A-4 and MB-339 attack jets. Why down size so much I really don't know, I would increase defense spending if I was the President of New Zealand but Im not.

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

SU-30 said:

I think it has to do with politics more than anything. I do know in 2001 the Labor Government decided to get rid of the A-4 and MB-339 attack jets. Why down size so much I really don't know, I would increase defense spending if I was the President of New Zealand but Im not.

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The RNZN is being improved by the addition of seven new vessels under Project Protector - 1 x 9000 tonne multi role vessel (MRV), 2 x 1600 tonne offshore patrol vessels (OPV) and 4 x inshore patrol vessels (IPV). The Anzac class frigates are also to be upgraded with ESSM replacing the Sea Sparrow SAMs.

It is true that the present government, under Prime Minister Helen Clark, scrapped the air combat force and there seems little support from any political party in New Zealand to re-establish it, although there is an outside chance that the MB-229s may be put back into limited service for training (the jets are currently in storage) if there is a change of government.

Emphasis seems to be on upgrading the small army to improve its ability to take part in peacekeeping operations.

In the 1950s New Zealand had a navy of 2 cruisers and 6 frigates together with an airforce that included two air combat squadrons. As recently as the 1990s the navy had four frigates. The present force falls far short of this. Unlike Singapore, which was mentioned by Rhino, however, New Zealand is a long way from any country that would be likely to threaten it . Any country doing so would also have to be able to take on Australia which would certainly fight side by side with New Zealand if it were threatened.

Tas

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

New Zealand doesnt require a big military simply because of their secure environment. Its islands are well away from any potential adversary, and theyve got Australia to back them up in any future conflict.
Singapore is alot smaller territorially, but its location and environment suggests it needs a naval and air force presence.

The role of NZ defence force primarily, is peacekeeping in the small Pacific island nations. And you dont need a powerful navy and air wing to do that

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

rhino123 said:

This is something that I really wonder for a while now. New Zealand is so much larger than Singapore, yet her army is so tiny. Look at their equipment. Not to mention their really small Navy. Their Air Force is next to nothing. They have no combat aircraft types and so how to they expect to escort their support air fleet?

Is it because New Zealand felt really safe and that Australia will come to their aid if anything happen? Some one please advise me on this.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

The 3 primary reasons I can think of:

1) Lack of regional rivals
2) Armed forces not in a piss-fight vs. neighbor
3) Seen as an European colony and therefore feels safer that the Western world will come to their aid.

Realistically, nobody is going to invade NZ any time soon. But they do need to find ways to attract more premium immigrants, as well as keeping its people at home to remain viable as a nation in the future. But this is difficult due to competition from Australia.

Re: New Zealand Defense Force

rhino123,
you should consider that Singapore has a higher GDP and population then NZ...
it is obvious who can afford a more expensive force.
plus despite it size NZ is not really a strategically target like Singapore.

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Naval Today said:

The New Zealand Ministry of Defence signed a contract on 21st May with MBDA for the provision of Sea Ceptor for the Local Area Air Defence element of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s ANZAC Frigate Systems Upgrade (FSU) project. This contract confirms the selection of the system by the RNZN for its ANZAC frigates that was announced in October 2013.

Steve Wadey, MBDA UK Managing Director and Group Executive Director Technical, said: “I am delighted that New Zealand has confirmed its selection of Sea Ceptor for the ANZAC FSU project. This first success in the global market outside the United Kingdom for Sea Ceptor is due not only to its advanced operational and through-life cost advantages, but also to the invaluable support provided by the UK Government and the Royal Navy during discussions with the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. Cooperation between the Governments and the Navies of the United Kingdom and New Zealand will continue to be important to delivering an excellent Sea Ceptor capability throughout the life of the project.”

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