New Zealand to Send Warship and Airforce to Gulf of Oman

Tehran Times ^ | November 11 2002

[knighthawk]

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand said on Monday it would send a warship and an air force surveillance plane to join a multinational task force in Middle East waters, but played down any link to possible U.S.-led action against Iraq.

A frigate would be sent immediately to join the Canadian-led coalition task group patrolling the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman as part of the campaign against the Taleban and Al- Qaeda, Prime Minister Helen Clark told reporters.

Early next year a P3 Orion Maritime surveillance plane would join the operation.

There was a continuing threat of international terrorism and a need for global cooperation to counter the threat, she said.

"I understand there has been a lot of interception activity by the maritime interdiction force," Clark, a former peace activist, said after her regular weekly cabinet meeting.

A detachment of New Zealand's elite Special Air Service (SAS) is in Afghanistan as part of the U.S.-led operation against the Taleban and Al-Qaeda.

However, New Zealand opposes military action against Iraq unless it is backed by the United Nations.

"I must stress that this deployment is in no way linked to any ongoing controlled sanctions against Iraq or of any military action unauthorized which might occur against Iraq," Clark said.

The Anzac-class frigate, a guided-missile warship with a crew of 170, will be in the Middle East until June 2003.

Clark said she was satisfied sending the frigate would not release resources from another navy in the interdiction force to attack Iraq.

During the 1990s, New Zealand warships helped enforce UN sanctions against Iraq imposed after the Persian Gulf War.

[knighthawk]

ping

[Joe Boucher]

Welcome and GOD bless.

[Rokke]

The New Zealand Air Force??? I think that one P-3 is the extent of it.

[Inspectorette]

Hey, it's a start, and it's better than some of our other "allies".

[Rokke]

You're right. At least they are participating. And I have no doubt their military folks are first rate. It's just that their liberal government has reduced their Air Force to nothing. I think that by sending their P-3, they are in fact contributing 100% of their combat air force.

[tje]

A New Zealand warship? That can't be much more than a rubber raft and a slingshot...

[RogueIsland]

A New Zealand warship?

As I was scanning the articles, I first read this as "New Zealand to Send Starship and Airforce to Gulf of Oman."

For a second I thought the New Zealanders must have been very busy the last few years...

[shaggy eel]

,,, you're with us or you're against us.

[shaggy eel]

,,, Knighthawk, thanx for the ping!

[shaggy eel]

For a second I thought the New Zealanders must have been very busy the last few years...

,,, they have been, but sadly, not with defence issues.

[pabianice]

One ship, one airplane -- you mean they're sending their entire Navy and Air Force? I'm impressed...

[Willie Green]

What happened?
Somebody discover some porno pictures taken of Clark when she was a teenager?

[mgstarr]

Welcome Kiwis and thanks!

[shaggy eel]

Somebody discover some porno pictures taken of Clark when she was a teenager?

,,, if they did, our boys on Te Kaha won't be pinning them up on that ship's walls!

[shaggy eel]

,,, thanx for the kind words and posting that pic!

[shaggy eel]

FYI

Best wishes from Wellington, NZL.

[toddst]

Any idea how many Anzac-class frigates and P-3's New Zealand has? Wondering what's left to defend the homeland?

[mgstarr]

Anytime!

That's the Te Kaha training off Tonga from the Royal New Zealand Navy website. Te Kaha and Te Mana are the two newer navy frigates, Anzac class. .

[shaggy eel]

,,, we have frigates, one is called the Canterbury, which isn't far off retirement. I'm uncertain of their class; bigger than these new ANZAC class ships though. Their retirement is an economic decision - a bit more life may be left in Canterbury if push comes to shove. A decision on the ageing Orions will be made sometime next month. Their value has been proven for fisheries patrol and search and rescue missions - not a lot of wars here lately, so that's to be expected.

Our A-4Ks have been mothballed but could be rolled out at any stage as they haven't found a buyer yet. Most on FR laugh at our A-4Ks but they were welcomed by the Aussies as attack aircraft when trans-Tasman exercises were being held. They're still better than nothing, in my opinion. The A-4Ks have been upgraded and very well maintained over the years. The main problem now is that we've paid off the pilots and probably have very few who are trained to fly them in a combat situation.

[mgstarr]

There are two Anzac class frigates and one old Leander Class, the Canterbury

[jdege]

The New Zealand military faces the same problems as does the Canadian - a small country with a leftist government that consistently refuses to provide the resources necessary.

That their service men and women don't get the support they deserve isn't their fault, blame it on the politicians.

[shaggy eel]

,,, this morning's Dominion Post says that Te Mana will relieve Te Kaha's role in February.

[F-117A]

Wait a minute... that ship looks like it actually has a gun on it!

[shaggy eel]

Hey, it's a start, and it's better than some of our other "allies".

,,, no, it isn't a start. Our SAS has been in Afghanistan for many months. We've sent C-130s over as well with medical teams etc.

[wistful]

Somewhat like the US, NZ is a democratic country. The politicians are elected by the people.

[shaggy eel]

Wait a minute... that ship looks like it actually has a gun on it!

,,, relax, it ain't going for the shooting match.

[shaggy eel]

Somewhat like the US, NZ is a democratic country. The politicians are elected by the people.

,,, only New Zealand and it's politicians (3,9 million people in total) have never really had the will or the money to become a super power. Accordingly, we're not fitted out as one.

[mgstarr]

It has a few goodies on board:

The Anzac is armed with one eight-cell Mk 41 vertical launching system for NATO Seasparrow surface-to-air missiles. Seasparrow is a semi-active radar missile with a range of 14.5km. Capacity to launch eight Boeing Harpoon anti-ship missiles is to be added.

The main gun is a United Defense 127mm Mk 45 Mod 2 gun, which can fire at a rate of 20 rounds/min to a range of over 20km.

Two triple 324mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes for Mk 46 anti-submarine torpedoes are fitted. Mk 46 is an active/passive torpedo with a range of 11km.

[varon]

The New Zealand Air Force??? I think that one P-3 is the extent of it.

Perhaps and then perhaps not. I do wander though as to what military assets our great ally and friend, Mexico, has sent?

Makes a person wander if Mexico can spare millions of their men to populate the U.S., why can't they volunteer a single soldier to combat global terrorism?

[jdege]

Nobody expects you to act like a superpower, but it'd be nice if you were able to do your share of simple little things like piracy suppression.

Military expenditures	(%GDP):
USA	3.2%
UK	2.3%
Australia	2.0%
New Zealand	1.2%

[Rokke]

One difference between New Zealand and Mexico, is that New Zealand has made a conscious decision to reduce its Air Force to nothing. The Mexicans just let theirs decay into nothing, and I'm not even sure they are aware it no longer really exists.
I do know one thing...I'd take 10 Kiwi soldiers over 1000 Mexican soldiers.

[shaggy eel]

,,, you're comparing the GDP of the US against that of New Zealand? Get real. Greater Detroit has 600,000 more people than New Zealand's total population. Defence has to be big budget for what the US does around the world. There's simply no comparison.

[dorben]

Good heavens jdge we have cities greater in population than the entire country of New Zealand . Have you ever been there ? It is an island nation with perhaps more sheep than people !

[blackie]

Thanks Shaggy !!

Death To all Muslim Extremist's !!

GWB Is The Man !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Let's Roll !!

Molon Labe !!

[Consort]

......

[shaggy eel]

BUMP

[shaggy eel]

BUMP

[jdege]

I'm not comparing GDP, I'm comparing percentage of GDP.

Nobody could expect New Zealand to maintain a fleet of CVNs.

But New Zealand isn't even maintaining a meaningful fleet of coastal patrol boats.

The NZ Navy includes:

3 Patrol Frigates (3600 tons)
4 Patrol Boats (110 tons)

Compare that, for example, with Denmark:

4 Patrol Frigates (3500 tons)
3 Large Corvettes (1300 tons)
1 Submarine (1200 tons)
3 Coastal Submarines (520 tons)
17 Patrol Boats (320 tons)
9 Fisheries Patrol Boats (150 tons)

Yes, Denmark has half again the population, and twice the GDP as New Zealand. But it has a much smaller coastline, and is far less isolated.

I'm not faulting New Zealand for not building carriers, or even for not building more frigates. But it has far too few patrol boats to do the job it needs done.

For what it's worth, the USCG has:

13 Large Patrol Cutters (3000 tons)
1 Arctic Patrol Cutter (1900 tons)
14 Patrol Cutters (1800 tons)
14 Patrol Cutters (1000 tons)
13 Patrol Boats (330 tons)
49 Patrol Boats (150 tons)
44 Patrol Boats (90 tons)

That's 148 coastal patrol vessels for 20,000 km of coastline, not including the US Navy, which isn't generally used for the mission. 135 km/boat.

New Zealand has 7 boats available for coastal patrol, for 15,000 km of coastline. 2100 km/boat.

Simply inadequate.

[shaggy eel]

,,, yeah, it's inadequate. For the amount of tax I pay so is the health system. Education's in trouble too. We have a socialist government in power - need I say more? Welfare's performing really well though. Free lunches cost $NZ13b per annum.

This morning's 5,00 news on the radio outlined a looming crisis where culturally inappropriate sand was to be placed on a beach from another beach. Sand had been washed from a shore by tides and a Regional Council's efforts to fix the problem have been stomped on by political correctness and a Maori power play. Defence issues? Never heard of them.

[shaggy eel]

,,, as a matter of interest, isn't Denmark tied to NATO? I should imagine, if they are, they're in the gun for major defence spending, possibly disproportionate to their GDP and theoretical coastline requirements.

[dennisw]

The New Zealand Air Force??? I think that one P-3 is the extent of it.

Stupid Kiwis let their stupid nanny prime minister axe their air force. Apologies to NZ Freepers

[jackbill]

The Washington Compost had an article the other day that stated that the U.S. spends more on pensions and health care for retired military than the whole French defense budget.

Just a little perspective.

[RightWhale]

Most impressive show of self-sacrifice, leaving New Zealand totally undefended. They are down to pitchforks and hoe-handles. Not to say that pitchfork wounds can't be nasty.

[cynicom]

Shag....

It is difficult to not join the catcall brigade. I will refrain, restrain myself if you will. We know the Zoolanders do not all share the ideals of Miss Clark. The important thing is that you will be there. Tip one for old times sake, when men were men and Clark was not heard of.

[shaggy eel]

,,, se espera el momento! South of the border, hombre.

[shaggy eel]

,,, good on ya Cyni. Hope all is well where you are.

[spitz]

I live in New Zealand and I agree that the %GDP spent on defence is too low. But the reality of NZ’s location suggests that maritime patrol aircraft are better suited to police NZ’s economic zone than a larger patrol fleet. (Although the patrol fleet does need to be enlarged.)

The sea traffic around NZ isn’t anywhere near the scale of the U.S. or Europe, so keeping tabs on possible unfriendlies is much easier, and not really comparable with U.S. or the Danes requirements. Because NZ is surrounded by sea the Orions provide the ability to patrol vast areas and ‘see’ further than a surface fleet ever could. The very fact an Orion has been supplied should be an indication of intent.

[F-117A]

Thanks for the heads up. I was a bit too sarcastic - what with all the "peace" crowd in the government over there.

Or are they gone?

[Chemist_Geek]

Greater Detroit has 600,000 more people than New Zealand's total population.

That's it, I'm moving. All that beautiful space, too. Oh, were you using the 150,000 extra voters the Mayor recently discovered? All the better...

Thanks for the eyes in the sky!