Royal New Zealand Navy
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The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) is the navy of New Zealand. It is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. As of April 2006, the fleet consists of 10 ships, the combat force comprising of two frigates.
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[edit] History
[edit] Pre-World War I
The New Zealand Navy did not exist as a separate military force until 1941.[1]
The first maritime combat activities in New Zealand began with the arrival of the Māori in waka around one thousand years ago. One of the first recorded contacts with the Māori was by Dutchman Abel Tasman, when he was attacked by Māori in war waka off the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island in December 1642.
The association of the Royal Navy with New Zealand began with the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1769, who completed two subsequent journeys to New Zealand in 1773 and 1777. For the remainder of the 18th century and the early 19th century, the Royal Navy frequently sent warships to New Zealand to maintain law and order amongst British subjects who were resident in the islands, and to prevent violence between British and the Māori. William Hobson, a crucial player in the drafting of the Treaty of Waitangi, was in New Zealand as a captain in the Royal Navy. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi made New Zealand a colony in the British Empire, so as a result the defence of the coastline of New Zealand became the responsibility of the Royal Navy. That role was fulfilled until World War I, and the Royal Navy also played a part in the New Zealand Wars: for example, a gunboat shelled fortified Māori pā from the Waikato River in order to defeat the Māori King Movement.
[edit] World War I and the Inter-War period
In 1909, the New Zealand government decided to fund the purchase of battle cruiser HMS New Zealand for the Royal Navy, which saw action throughout World War I in Europe. The passing of the Naval Defence Act 1913 created the New Zealand Naval Forces, however this was still as a part of the Royal Navy, and from 1921 to 1941 the force was known as the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The first purchase by the New Zealand government for the New Zealand Naval Forces was the cruiser HMS Philomel, which escorted New Zealand land forces to occupy the German colony of Samoa in 1914. Philomel saw further action under the command of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf.
Between World War I and World War II, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy consisted of the two cruisers HMS Achilles and HMS Leander, and a minesweeper, HMS Wakakura.
[edit] World War II
When Britain went to war against Germany in 1939, New Zealand immediately followed by also declaring war. In 1941, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy became the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), in recognition of the fact that the naval force was now largely self-sufficient and independent of the Royal Navy. Ships thereafter were prefixed HMNZS (His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship).
HMS Achilles participated in the first major naval battle of World War II, the Battle of the River Plate off the River Plate estuary between Argentina and Uruguay in December 1939. Achilles and two other Royal Navy cruisers, HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter, was in an operation which forced the crew of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee to scuttle her rather than face the loss of many more German seamen's lives. This decision apparently infuriated Hitler. The Achilles moved to the Pacific, and was working with the USN when damaged by a Japanese bomb off New Georgia. Following repair she served alongside the British Pacific Fleet until the war's end.
HMS Leander escorted the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the Middle East in 1940, and was then deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean, where she was subjected to air and naval attack from Axis forces, conducted bombardments and escorted convoys, as well as sinking the Italian "auxilary cruiser" Ramb I. After serving in the Mediterranean she returned to the Pacific in 1943, assisting in the destruction of the Japanese cruiser Jintsu but being seriously damaged by torpedos during the Battle of Kolombangara.
As the war progressed, the size of the RNZN greatly increased, and by the end of WWII there were over 60 ships in commission. These ships participated as part of the British and Commonwealth effort against the Axis in Europe, and against the Japanese in the Pacific. They also played an important role in the defence of New Zealand, from German raiders, and especially when the threat of invasion from Japan appeared imminent in 1942. Many merchant boats were requisitioned and armed for help in defence. One of these was HMNZS Monowai, which later saw action against a Japanese submarine off Fiji in 1942. In 1941-1942, it was decided in an agreement between the New Zealand and United States government that the best role for the RNZN in the Pacific was as part of the United States Navy, so operational control of the RNZN was transferred to the South West Pacific Area command, and its ships joined United States 7th Fleet taskforces.
In 1943, the light cruiser HMS Gambia was transferred to the RNZN as HMNZS Gambia. In November 1944, the British Pacific Fleet, a joint British Commonwealth taskforce, was formed, based in Sydney, Australia. Most RNZN ships were transferred to BPF, including Gambia and Achilles. They took part in the Battle of Okinawa and operations in the Sakishima Islands, near Japan. In August 1945,Gambia was New Zealand's representative at Japan's surrender.
[edit] Post-War
RNZN ships participated in the Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War. In the past three decades, the RNZN has operated in the Middle East a number of times. RNZN ships played a role in the Iran-Iraq War, aiding the Royal Navy in protecting neutral shipping in the Indian Ocean. Frigates were also sent to participate in the first Gulf War, and more recently Operation Enduring Freedom. The RNZN has played an important part in conflicts in the Pacific as well. Naval forces were utilised in the Bougainville, Solomon Islands and East Timor conflicts of the 1990s. The navy often participates in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The navy has played a much broader role than just conflict-related activities. Since 1946, the RNZN has been policing New Zealand's territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone in furtherance of fisheries protection. It also aids New Zealand's deployment in Antarctica, at Scott Base.
One of the most well-known roles that the RNZN has played on the world stage was when the frigates Canterbury and the Otago were sent by the Labour Government of Norman Kirk to Moruroa Atoll in 1976 to protest French nuclear testing on the atoll. The frigates were sent into the potential blast zone of the weapon, which forced France to postpone the tests.
[edit] The Modern RNZN
[edit] Current Fleet
New Zealand naval ships are known as HMNZS: "Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship...". The Queen is the Head of State of New Zealand.
The RNZN is currently in a transitional period where its role is being broadened into a Navy that is more versatile than in the more recent past. Where it used to be more frigate and therefore combat orientated, a number of new ships are soon to be incorporated into the fleet which will give the Navy a much broader platform to work from. These ships will not be operational until 2007, however, so are not part of the current fleet.
The categorisations of the ships used here are taken from the RNZN website.[2]
[edit] Naval Combat Force
The naval combat force of the RNZN currently consists of two Anzac Class frigates: HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Te Mana. Both ships are based at the Devonport Naval Base on Auckland's North Shore. Te Kaha was commissioned on July 26, 1997 and Te Mana on December 10, 1999.
The specifications and armaments of the two ships are identical.[3][4]
[edit] Logistics Support
HMNZS Endeavour (A11) is the fleet tanker of the RNZN. It provides fuel and other supplies for the frigates when they are on international operations, and for allied ships should this be required. Endeavour takes her name from the Royal Navy ship that carried Captain James Cook to New Zealand on his first voyage to that country in 1769. The home port of Endeavour is the city of New Plymouth.[5]
[edit] Hydrographic Force
The hydrographic ship of the RNZN is HMNZS Resolution. Resolution is used to survey and chart the sea around New Zealand and her inshore waters, and was formerly used by the United States Navy (as USS Tenacious) to tow sonar arrays to detect enemy submarines. A small motor boat, Adventure, is operated from Resolution. The home port of Resolution is the city of Gisborne.[6]
[edit] Diving Support
The RNZN diving support vessel is the HMNZS Manawanui (A09). Manawanui is provided for the use of the RNZN's Operational Dive Team (ODT), which is trained for deep sea diving, underwater demolition and explosives disposal. Manawanui also has limited carriage capacity.[7]
[edit] Inshore Patrol Craft
The RNZN has five Moa class patrol boats, which are used for a range of activities such as training and resource protection; these vessels were operated by the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, but more recently have been employed directly by the regular Navy. These vessels are:
- HMNZS Moa (P3553)
- HMNZS Kiwi (P3554)
- HMNZS Wakakura (P3555)
- HMNZS Hinau (P3556)
- HMNZS Kahu (A 04)[8]
[edit] Aircraft
The Navy operates five Kaman SH-2G Seasprite helicopters for use on the two frigates, and for future use on the new multi-role vessel and two offshore patrol craft that will be incorporated into the fleet in 2006 and 2007. These five aircraft are part of No. 6 Squadron of the RNZAF. The squadron is based at Whenuapai Air Base in Auckland, and helicopters are assigned to the ships as they are sent on deployments across the globe. The roles of the helicopters include:
- surface warfare missions and surveillance operations
- under water warfare
- helicopter delivery services/logistics
- search and rescue
- medical evacuation
- training
- assistance to other Government agencies[9]
[edit] Role of the RNZN
[edit] Purpose of the New Zealand Defence Force
- See also: New Zealand Defence Force
The role and purpose of the RNZN is interrelated with the role and purpose of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) as a whole. In its Statement of Intent, the NZDF states its primary mission as:
- to secure New Zealand from external threat, to protect our sovereign interests, including in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and to be able to take action to meet likely contingencies in our strategic area of interest.[10]
The intermediate outcomes of the NZDF are listed as:
- Secure New Zealand, including its people, land, territorial waters, exclusive economic zone, natural resources and critical infrastructure.
- Reduced risks to New Zealand from regional and global insecurity.
- New Zealand values and interests advanced through participation in regional and international security systems.
- New Zealand is able to meet future national security challenges.[11]
The role of the navy is to fulfil the maritime elements of the primary and secondary missions of the NZDF.
[edit] Protection of Exclusive Economic Zone
New Zealand also has an extensive exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which gives New Zealand exclusive rights to fisheries and a number of other resources in that area. This area is often subject to both international and domestic illegal fishing. The current patrol craft have the role of policing this zone, as do the frigates to a lesser extent. The new inshore and offshore patrol craft will also control this area.
[edit] Participation in International Security Operations
It is also important that the RNZN help prevent any unrest occurring in New Zealand. This can be done by having a presence in overseas waters and assisting redevelopment in troubled countries. For example, any unrest in the Pacific Islands has the potential to spill over into New Zealand because of the large Pacific Island immigrant population in that country. If the RNZN can help stabilise the situation in the Islands, it will make New Zealand a safer place. The navy has participated in peace-keeping and peace-making in East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.
It is clear that the NZDF alone would not be able to protect New Zealand if the country were attacked, so it is important to build stable relationships with other countries. This can be done through participation in international defence operations, such as the current War on Terror. Both Te Kaha and Te Mana, and the former RNZN frigate HMNZS Canterbury have participated in the Persian Gulf since 2001. As well as developing allegiances, such deployments also help to prevent terrorism spreading into New Zealand by rooting it out at its source.
[edit] Non-military roles
The 2002 Maritime Forces Review identified a number of roles that other government agencies required the RNZN to undertake. Consultation with these civilian agencies identified that, with multi-tasking, approximately 1,371 surface patrol days were required to meet their collective patrol requirements in the Exclusive Economic Zone.
| Role | Principal Agency (s) | Planned/Response | Full requirement (days) | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EEZ, Southern Ocean and South Pacific Patrols | MFish, DoC, MAF, MFAT, Customs, NZDF, Police | Planned/Response | 1279 | 93.2 |
| Sealift (Civilian) | DoC, MFAT | Planned | 45 | 3.3 |
| Pollution Control | MSA, DoC | Response | 20 | 1.5 |
| Disaster Relief | NZDF, MFAT | Response | 15 | 1.1 |
| Search & Rescue | NRCC, Police | Response | 12 | 0.9 |
In addition to the above roles, The RNZN provides the capabilities required to meet Land Information New Zealand's mapping requirements under contract, and to support selected third parties. The hydrographic and oceanographic survey vessel, HMNZS Resolution, provides the primary collection capability with specialist personnel in the Navy’s Hydrographic Business Unit and the Joint Geospatial Support Facility providing data processing and information management.
[edit] Current deployments
Since 2001, both ANZAC frigates have participated in the United States' Operation Enduring Freedom in the Persian Gulf. The two vessels have conducted maritime patrol operations in support of American efforts in Afghanistan.
As of 21 June 2006, Te Mana is in South East Asia. Te Kaha is in New Zealand waters, but will be deployed to South East Asia in the second half of 2006.
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Reserves
The primary reserve component of the Royal New Zealand Navy is the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNZNVR), which is organised into a number of geographically-based divisions, located in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.
At present the RNZNVR has three branches: Administration, Sea Service and Maritime Trade Organisation (formerly Naval Control of Shipping). Due to the Moa Class Patrol vessels being transferred to Auckland and the arrival of the new Protector vessels, the role of the RNZNVR is currently being reviewed.
[edit] Operating budget
As of FY2005, the RNZN had an operating budget of $NZ597.384 million (37.4% of defence expenditure). This funding represents operating, training and depreciation costs on capital items.
Funding is allocated according to output classes. The two major output classes are:
Naval Combat Forces consumes $NZ531.1M. It provides funding for the provision of the capabilities of HMNZ Ships Te Kaha and Te Mana and associated Seasprite helicopters prepared to conduct maritime operations and to contribute support services to the community.
Naval Support Forces consumes $NZ31.5M. It provisions the capabilities of the Fleet Replenishment Ship, HMNZS Endeavour, prepared to conduct operational and maritime logistic support for deployed military forces, and to contribute some support services to the community. This output expense will also include the capabilities of the new multi-role vessel (MRV) once commissioned into service.
There are also a number of other minor output classes for funding policy development, mine counter-measures, diving, etc. A new Naval Patrol Forces output class will be developed to fund the operation of the new Project Protector ships as they come online.
[edit] Onshore establishments
[edit] The Royal New Zealand Naval Museum
The Museum, based adjacent to the HMNZ Naval Base, Devonport, contains important collections of naval artefacts, and extensive records. Supporters may join the Friends of the Royal New Zealand Naval Museum.
[edit] Future fleet
The shape of the future fleet was detailed by a New Zealand Government report, the 2002 Maritime Forces Review
The review determined that current fleet structure was inadequate to support ongoing patrol and response requirements within New Zealand's exclusive economic zone. Project Protector was commissioned to address some of these shortcomings.
[edit] Project Protector
The Ministry of Defence acquisition project to acquire one multi-role vessel, two offshore and four inshore patrol vessels, to be operated by the RNZN to conduct tasks for and with New Zealand Customs, the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime New Zealand & New Zealand Police.
See Royal New Zealand Navy Future Plans
[edit] Notes
- ^ Much of this discussion is taken from "RNZN History". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 15, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Overview of Ships". RNZN Official website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Te Kaha". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Te Mana". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Endeavour". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - HMNZS Resolution". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Manawanui". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZN - Inshore Patrol Craft". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "RNZAF - 6 Squadron". RNZAF Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- ^ "NZDF Statement of Intent". NZDF Official Website. Accessed April 28, 2006.
- ^ "NZDF Outcomes and Objectives". NZDF Official Website. Accessed April 28, 2006.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Royal New Zealand Navy homepage
- The New Zealand Defence Force Website
- Google Maps Image of Devonport RNZN Base
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