Navy's frigates break down at sea.

[Swoop]

Uncle Helen has gutted the RNZ Air Force .. why not the Navy?

Fisheries protection.
The P-3's play the same game, just that the fisho's monitor the P-3 frequencies and know when they are taking off...



Ship info.
http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-fle...ha/default.htm

[ManDownUnder]

We must stop using this an an excuse. Sweden only has 8 million people and by comparison could probably level Australia in a cuppla days.

What you meant to say is that we are an isolated island nation of cow and sheep growers who play rugby and throw money at stupid ideas, never amounting to anything of significance on the world stage, hence a poor nation not capable of a sustainable defense force.

Close but no. I think we're still below critical mass (in term of tax base) to effectively do everything, so we need to pick on one or two and do them well (or converslay, pick on most, but not all). That's what is happening but stil... not so well.

Naval breakdowns, all manner of shitty problems with the forces etc. Equipment and training could and should be better. I don't pretend we can be all things with only 4 million. Double the population and things change exponentially to a point where (assuming your comment on Sweden is accurate) we might be able to do all things as needed.

What cover do the Swedes get from the rest of the EU and/or NATO though (other than protection fro ridicule of being a "Swede")? Do Sweden actually provide all the requeisite aspects of defence or work together with other specialist nations as part of a defence "whole"?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

how old is the present fleet by the way ?.. are they second hand stuff ? ( being serious)

The two ANZAC Frigates are new coming up ten years I believe...


There is new vessels being built (The Protector Fleet)
http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-fle...or/default.htm

The Fleet
http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-fleet/default.htm

[Delerium]

No. The ANZAC Frigates have been built to spec over the last 10 years or so? I can't recall how many were ordered etc but they are new. And thoroughly tested...

Tui anyone?

On the bright side SARGE - picking up on a comment earlier... the video games on board would keep the crew happy and we'd WASTE anyone at World of Warcraft (or whatever the fuck) if it came to that.

Tis a sad state of affairs but then to put it in context we're a country of 4 million people. It's tough to support a full Army, Air Force and Navy on a population the Size of Sydney, or downtown Houston.

You need to compare %GDP spend on defence also.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Spent a shit-load of time working on them myself. Oh what fun...

How unusual... Just like the Waikato. Was able to detect a missile, could track it coming at the ship, could even film the missile approaching...
Just couldn't shoot it down.

Only if the SeaCat Aimer was good enough... seacat a short rang Surface to Air self defence missle... (out dated when we had them 1950 technology)

[Delerium]

Fisheries protection.
The P-3's play the same game, just that the fisho's monitor the P-3 frequencies and know when they are taking off...



Ship info.
http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-fle...ha/default.htm

I would dispute that.

[Swoop]

Only if the SeaCat Aimer was good enough... seacat a short rang Surface to Air self defence missle... (out dated when we had them 1950 technology)

This was post refit, when the Phoenix system was fitted and the Seacat removed! The crewmen had a good laugh about the state of affairs.

I would dispute that.

It's the Navy website, I think they have the info right.

[Smorg]

ANZAC frigates were 1997 1998 if I remember correctly, served on them and the Canterbury (leander class) They break down but what doesnt? Its hardly a revelation

[Delerium]

This was post refit, when the Phoenix system was fitted and the Seacat removed! The crewmen had a good laugh about the state of affairs.

It's the Navy website, I think they have the info right.

I suspect that the world of electrickery is a bit more complex. all that 'neutron stuff'.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

What exactly do we need friggen frigates for anyway when the invasion is actually happening at our airports. Maybe they should dry stack them there.

NZ has a very large coast line (including some of the Islands under our unbrella) Under our Alliance Agreements we have to meet certain requirements including Border Proction, Fishiery Protroll, Search and Rescue, and many other things in the civial role...

in time of war, our fleet merges with the Aussie fleet to meet any threat. Which will happen with our other armed forces as such

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

This was post refit, when the Phoenix system was fitted and the Seacat removed! The crewmen had a good laugh about the state of affairs.

It's the Navy website, I think they have the info right.

I left the Navy in 91 and the Waikato (and all othe) then still only had SeaCat

[Toaster]

Tis a sad state of affairs but then to put it in context we're a country of 4 million people. It's tough to support a full Army, Air Force and Navy on a population the Size of Sydney, or downtown Houston.

We spend quite a bit less of tax dollars "per capita" than Aussie. In other words, for each taxpayer, the aussies spend more on defence than NZ does - and by quite a margin. We just blow it all on sickness beneficiaries, dole bludgers, funding roading contractors new luxury yachts, and pay increases for MP's so they can spend our money on everything but the hard working middle class - who actually pay tax.

[Swoop]

I left the Navy in 91 and the Waikato (and all othe) then still only had SeaCat

??. I believed Waikato had been relegated to training ship at that stage and had been "de-fanged" so to speak.
She certainly didn't get Phalanx.

[Finn]

What cover do the Swedes get from the rest of the EU and/or NATO though (other than protection fro ridicule of being a "Swede")? Do Sweden actually provide all the requeisite aspects of defence or work together with other specialist nations as part of a defence "whole"?

It's pretty bloody good by itself although it probably might have something to do with their neighbour. While the threat over the years has changed, they are adapting to it.

http://www.mil.se/article.php?lang=E&id=15694

Quite impressive for a "Neutral, Socialist country"

[Ixion]

What exactly do we need friggen frigates for anyway when the invasion is actually happening at our airports. Maybe they should dry stack them there.

A common theme , but IMH(and lay)O, incorrect. For NZ, the most effective defence is still a naval one.

There is no nation that we would be at all likely to have to worry about, except the USA, that would have the capability to mount an aerial invasion. It's by no means as easy as people imagine.

Certainly Indonesia or someone could send some planes to shoot stuff up (though I dunno if Indonesia has anything with the capability to get hear and back without refuelling), and kill a few people. Hell of a jump from that to a maintained invasion.

That was one call that Dear Leader got right. All our defence money (such as it is) should go into the Navy, and militia type training along the lines of Switzland.