The new HMNZS Canterbury

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I thought we only had a couple of Hercules and some Vietnam war era Hueys...

and the aging P3's

[SPman]

I see the new IPV's are named after the last batch of patrol craft (which were, in turn, named after the frigates of the 50's)- I hope they are better sea boats - I was never sea sick in my life, until I did a weekend on the Hawea! - sea sick tabs were standard issue - even to old salts, so I was first in line when I had 2 weeks on the Taupo.

Personally, I think the navy is going in the right direction with these ships - they will hopefully be better suited to the role the Navy plays around NZ and the South Pacific

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I see the new IPV's are named after the last batch of patrol craft (which were, in turn, named after the frigates of the 50's)- I hope they are better sea boats - I was never sea sick in my life, until I did a weekend on the Hawea! - sea sick tabs were standard issue - even to old salts, so I was first in line when I had 2 weeks on the Taupo.

I served on the old lake class PC Pukaki for 7 months... and like you was never sea sick till I served on her... tho I had great fun

Personally, I think the navy is going in the right direction with these ships - they will hopefully be better suited to the role the Navy plays around NZ and the South Pacific

agreed

[mdooher]

25mm that fires 200 rounds a minute...

Its not a war ship its a cargo carrier or Multi Role Vessel, its to suppliment the fleet as a whole.

.

That would be ok if we had some war ships as well

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

That would be ok if we had some war ships as well

we have a couple... thing is, kiwis want them, but don't want to fracking pay for them...

[mdooher]

Are you telling us there is enough of an airforce to warrant more than one base?

I thought we only had a couple of Hercules and some Vietnam war era Hueys...

you are quite right there but the same people who downsized the airforce sold off the bases ...cos... well they had been downsized.

Doesn't mattter how small your defence force is you don't centralise it.

[mdooher]

... thing is, kiwis want them, but don't want to fracking pay for them...

too true... well not the whale hugging hippie variety anyway.

I think we should have lots of big fuck off scarry guns.

[nudemetalz]

We shouldn't all forget that when the Skyhawks were delivered to NZ in 1970, our lovely Prime Minister Aunty Helen was then one of the many protesters there when they were towed through the city to Whenuapai.
How ironic that she signed off the scrapping of the RNZAF Strike Force...

[Hitcher]

We shouldn't all forget that when the Skyhawks were delivered to NZ in 1970, our lovely Prime Minister Aunty Helen was then one of the many protesters there when they were towed through the city to Whenuapai.
How ironic that she signed off the scrapping of the RNZAF Strike Force...

Hardly "ironic". I think you've been listening to too much Alanis Morrisette.

[Flatcap]

you are quite right there but the same people who downsized the airforce sold off the bases ...cos... well they had been downsized.

Doesn't mattter how small your defence force is you don't centralise it.

Agreed - eggs in one basket and such

[nudemetalz]

Hardly "ironic". I think you've been listening to too much Alanis Morrisette.

okay, maybe "ironic" wasn't the right word.
It was a sad day when they did there final flypast together with the '339s over Wellington.

[Lias]

I'd like to see us focus a bit more on an anti shipping role, both on the water and in the air.

Any potential invasion force would be coming by water, so our defense strategy should be focused on sinking it before it gets here.. Could also be useful for ships full of illegal immigrants, foreign trawlers and jap whalers.

On the water I'd like to see us focus on AEGIS ships, aussie is due to finalize its choice of plans for its Hobart class destroyers and I believe we should purchase a couple of whatever they buy. Some sub's wouldnt go amiss either, some nice diesel or fuelcell hunterkillers. The german Type 214 looks quite appealing.

In the air we need some air superiority craft, that are capable of longish range missions and inflight refuelling. I'm thinking F-15C's but I'm open to alternatives. We also need a platform to launch ASM's from, personally I'd go with B52's, old as they may be, just load em up with a truckload of Harpoons.

And last but not least we need some land based Harpoons or similar ASM's for good measure as well.

What say you? (Especially you ex navy types)

[Hitcher]

I'd like to see us focus a bit more on an anti shipping role, both on the water and in the air.

You cannot be serious? "Invasion" by whom? Fiji? Australia? The United States of America?

And the rest of your shopping list assumes that we are going to put ourselves in a position where we will stand toe-to-toe with any prospective aggressor/invader and trade punches. Puhlease. The best equipped and trained soldier in the world will never be a match for an army.

And besides, we can't recruit enough military types to adequately staff our current resources, let alone a potential submarine and surface attack vessel force. I'd rather have tax cuts so I can buy sexier toys, rather than having the government do this in my stead.

I think you've been reading too much Tom Clancy.

[Swoop]

I'd like to see...

How would this be paid for?
We are stretching the budget to get this new support ship!

Having the toys is one thing, paying for them is another... or will the GE Money Genie come to our aid?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

We are stretching the budget to get this new support ship!

Its not really.. especially when they say the have X amount of millions in surplus... that didn't get out tax break...

However.. I will agree there isn't a need to have what "Lias" wants... but will agree that we need a front line first strike air force...

And to say that the old skyhawks were never used in anger or fired a live round in anger or armed conflict... errr in my eyes thats a good thing means they were doing there job