New Zealand Army

[cdxbow]

Only if you have diplomatic protection squad. My partner has had death threats. Most of the time its worked up or bereaved family members. But the worst one was a heavily drug affected nutcase involved in some high profile murders. In a previous nurse obsession he became fixated on a nurse but follwed the wrong nurse bashed his way into her house i think she got away and he passed out there. Then back to hospital for blood loss.

Sorry to here that about your partner, it must be so upsetting for her. I have had colleagues experience the same. Folks who don't work in health probably don't realize how dangerous it can be. ICU and ED especially. The patients have high rates of mental illness, often addled by drugs, behavioral issues due to brain injury or an ongoing medical illness. There is a higher than average number of crims to deal with. Often the family is the problem not the patient, one nutty relative and everything can go south pretty quick. Mind you, in ICU, sedated on a ventilator the patients themselves don't get the opportunity to act up much.

 

[ASSAIL]

RNZAF must be thanking their lucky stars that Ron Mark was MinDef long enough to get the C-130Js and P-8s through final contract confirmation - at least the Govt can't cancel those - unlike the mooted 3rd battalion, which is presumably sunk now given recruitment and (mostly retention?) issues.
Not much chance Aust will ask for (further) NZ help in the Solomons, given lack of Army capacity. Lot of potential for a certain Dragon Empire to make mischief there

Reports in the media today that both PNG and Fiji are deploying troops to help in Honiara.

 

[Nighthawk.NZ]

Appears the Solomon Islands has asked NZ for help as well...

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[recce.k1]

Appears the Solomon Islands has asked NZ for help as well...

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Suspect our "talented and competent" NZG is being slow off the mark (what's new), if that article is true and the Army are only now being readied!

However the rioting finished around the time of the ADF deployment late last week and by last Sunday the SI locals (and their ex-pat Fijian, PNG and Vanuatu communities etc) have been cleaning up Honiara's Chinatown district.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1464843956198330371

Presumably then what ScoMo and Jacinda talked about a couple of days ago was for NZ to contribute Army and Police personnel to provide further "regional support" (as the riots were over by then etc), which is still good "optics". So if the NZ Army's High Readiness Task Unit is to be initially deployed, but if there then becomes a need for ongoing presence, would the Regular Forces (or NZ Police personnel) be required (if they can be extracted from covid MIQ duties), as surely one wouldn't want the High Readiness Task Unit to be tied up for too long when the tensions have eased?

 

[recce.k1]

Came across some recent acquisitions for the NZ Army today.

Three Rheinmetall HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles were officially handed over to the NZDF on 25 November.

They will replace five M1089A1R wreckers. The NZ Army Rheinmetall HX heavy vehicle fleet therefore increases from 194 to 197.

New Zealand officially receives HX44Ms | Shephard

The addition of three 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles brings to 197 the number of Rheinmetall-supplied HX vehicles for the NZDF.

www.shephardmedia.com

Also four AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars have been ordered and will be delivered in 2022/23.

NZ revamps artillery with new sensors and digital backbones | Shephard

New Zealand has never owned weapon locating radars before, but its first examples are due in country in 2022.

www.shephardmedia.com

Some additional information follows, which is also available here (page 41).

The Royal New Zealand Artillery (RNZA) is at the threshold of generational capability enhancement.

This will re-assert the RNZA’s ability to make decisive, innovative and valuable contributions to future NZDF operations; specifically precise, lethal fires and counter-fires protection which will allow ground forces to win at close combat.

2021 saw the delivery of a modern, digitally-enabled Fire Control System (FCS) for the RNZA. This system will enhance the ability of fire units to command, control and coordinate Joint Fires and Effects on the battlespace in support of operations.

2022 will see the RNZA receive four AN/TPQ-49a Weapon Locating Radars, designed to be set up in under 20 minutes. Functions include sense, warn and locate, counter-fire acquisition and Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) detection and tracking when upgraded with the required software.

This looks like an excellent acquisition for the NZ Army and according to the manufacturer offers the following applications (should NZ expand upon some of them and/or support the need for further systems for deployments and taskings in the future).

• Air surveillance
• Counterfire target acquisition
• Counter-UAS
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Force protection
• Ground based sense and avoid
• VSHORAD

 

[Gibbo]

Came across some recent acquisitions for the NZ Army today.

Three Rheinmetall HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles were officially handed over to the NZDF on 25 November.

Also four AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars have been ordered and will be delivered in 2022/23.

This looks like an excellent acquisition for the NZ Army and according to the manufacturer offers the following applications (should NZ expand upon some of them and/or support the need for further systems for deployments and taskings in the future).

• Air surveillance
• Counterfire target acquisition
• Counter-UAS
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Force protection
• Ground based sense and avoid
• VSHORAD

Interesting post... yes good news. For those wondering why 3 x HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles replace five M1089A1R wreckers.... there are the 2 x beach recovery vehicles purchased last year (modified log skidders) so still 5 recovery vehicles across the fleet.

AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars... excellent purchase...finally! Just hope they get 'loved' unlike the Mistral SAM.

 

[RegR]

In amongst the "doom and gloom" of experienced personnel leaving, some positive news, it appears that 1st Battalion RNZIR have stood up Whiskey Company again. If wiki is to believed they are still a company short (Alpha Company - can anyone confirm?), but this is still good news demonstrating that Army expansion plans still appear to be in place (with this govt).

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1463595763955429376

I hope so but I just took this to mean this is the Linton RIT coy as Infantry corp training is usually done in Burnham? Still does not bode well for the mooted added Bn gp if there are still missing/under-manned coys in the existing battalions currently.

 

[RegR]

Came across some recent acquisitions for the NZ Army today.

Three Rheinmetall HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles were officially handed over to the NZDF on 25 November.

They will replace five M1089A1R wreckers. The NZ Army Rheinmetall HX heavy vehicle fleet therefore increases from 194 to 197.

New Zealand officially receives HX44Ms | Shephard

The addition of three 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles brings to 197 the number of Rheinmetall-supplied HX vehicles for the NZDF.

www.shephardmedia.com

Also four AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars have been ordered and will be delivered in 2022/23.

NZ revamps artillery with new sensors and digital backbones | Shephard

New Zealand has never owned weapon locating radars before, but its first examples are due in country in 2022.

www.shephardmedia.com

Some additional information follows, which is also available here (page 41)[/URL

Came across some recent acquisitions for the NZ Army today.

Three Rheinmetall HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles were officially handed over to the NZDF on 25 November.

They will replace five M1089A1R wreckers. The NZ Army Rheinmetall HX heavy vehicle fleet therefore increases from 194 to 197.

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/new-zealand-officially-receives-hx44ms/

Also four AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars have been ordered and will be delivered in 2022/23.

NZ revamps artillery with new sensors and digital backbones | Shephard

New Zealand has never owned weapon locating radars before, but its first examples are due in country in 2022.

www.shephardmedia.com

Some additional information follows, which is also available here (page 41).



This looks like an excellent acquisition for the NZ Army and according to the manufacturer offers the following applications (should NZ expand upon some of them and/or support the need for further systems for deployments and taskings in the future).

• Air surveillance
• Counterfire target acquisition
• Counter-UAS
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Force protection
• Ground based sense and avoid
• VSHORAD

Actually should be more than 197 now considering the previous 4 bridging units and initial 5 training vehicles.

 

[RegR]

Speaking of which there are a few MRAP (or similar) vehicles parked on Rangitikei Street in Palmerston North at the moment ( not far from Linton Army base). These are definitely not the standand NZ army truck or LAVs as I could have identified those - 99% sure they are not bushmasters either.

I only caught a fleeting look passing through yesterday - presumably these are privately owned. They are stored in the same yard as the windfarm blades have been for the past few years immediately beside the road if anyone is local.

They are ex US army HETs (heavy duty cross country transporters, non armoured), generally used in service to move tanks around but a few have found civilian applications. There was at least another 1 floating around here working in forestry, the 2 in Palmy are owned by Smiths Cranes, the guys who have the contract to move the windfarm equipment upto the sites, so no doubt the 8x8 and horsepower will come in handy up in the ranges on those less than ideal tracks.

 

[RegR]

Interesting post... yes good news. For those wondering why 3 x HX44M 8x8 heavy recovery vehicles replace five M1089A1R wreckers.... there are the 2 x beach recovery vehicles purchased last year (modified log skidders) so still 5 recovery vehicles across the fleet.

AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars... excellent purchase...finally! Just hope they get 'loved' unlike the Mistral SAM.

In the latest army news there is mention of more wreckers being bought in a follow on project as the 3 8x8s will be too large for certain applications, so perhaps another smaller/lighter 6x6 or even 4x4 recovery variant. Didn't really think the 2 beaching vehicles from the CY were part of that particular equation considering their rather specific and limited purpose ie for use from CY for beach landings.

 

[Gibbo]

In the latest army news there is mention of more wreckers being bought in a follow on project as the 3 8x8s will be too large for certain applications, so perhaps another smaller/lighter 6x6 or even 4x4 recovery variant. Didn't really think the 2 beaching vehicles from the CY were part of that particular equation considering their rather specific and limited purpose ie for use from CY for beach landings.

Ah yes, good referral thx... the project sounds to still be subject to approval (ie" "...if approved..."). If the protesters at Govt stay long enough the Army might actually end up with something capable of towing their vehicles!

 

[RegR]

Ah yes, good referral thx... the project sounds to still be subject to approval (ie" "...if approved..."). If the protesters at Govt stay long enough the Army might actually end up with something capable of towing their vehicles!

Plenty of Matbros, Skytracks and front end loaders to get the job done haha!

 

[Kiwigov]

AN/TPQ-49a weapon locating radars... excellent purchase...finally! Just hope they get 'loved' unlike the Mistral SAM.

Speaking of Mistral - this was a late 1990s purchase, so presumably the missile stocks are now out of date? I vaguely recall some chatter that they had been withdrawn from service?

 

[Nighthawk.NZ]

Speaking of Mistral - this was a late 1990s purchase, so presumably the missile stocks are now out of date? I vaguely recall some chatter that they had been withdrawn from service?

From memory they were put in to storage around 2005-8 (ish) never to see the light of day again... I am not even sure if they ever fired one... and would say they are now past their use by date.

 

[RegR]

From memory they were put in to storage around 2005-8 (ish) never to see the light of day again... I am not even sure if they ever fired one... and would say they are now past their use by date.

I seem to remember the gunners rolled a vital piece of kit trailer in the field, IFF cueing radar or similar and at @$1m a pop was not easily replaced, so just wasn't, rendering the system pretty limited in it's operational use.

Probably the same axe they used on the ACF, short handle and even shorter sighted...

 

[Kiwigov]

From memory they were put in to storage around 2005-8 (ish) never to see the light of day again... I am not even sure if they ever fired one... and would say they are now past their use by date.

Thanks for the update - shocking but not surprising that NZ Army has NO M/SHORAD systems; clearly a major risk of no protection against armed drones. All too easy to think of likely scenarios where NZ peacekeeping forces are subject to attack by these proliferating systems, by 'non-state actors'. Presumably only the 20 Sea Ceptor missiles on each of the two frigates could offer limited duration cover for a deployment

 

[Stuart M]

Thanks for the update - shocking but not surprising that NZ Army has NO M/SHORAD systems; clearly a major risk of no protection against armed drones. All too easy to think of likely scenarios where NZ peacekeeping forces are subject to attack by these proliferating systems, by 'non-state actors'. Presumably only the 20 Sea Ceptor missiles on each of the two frigates could offer limited duration cover for a deployment

Pretty sure the reason for this is that NZ politicians see no need for air defence, as they wont deploy armed forces to any area where that kind of threat exists.

From what has and has not been done, NZ forces exits, as far as govt is concerned, to provide HADR resources and a martial backdrop on ANZAC and Remembrance day.
Certainly the government response to the Ukraine war reinforces that, to my mind at least.

 

[Nighthawk.NZ]

Certainly the government response to the Ukraine war reinforces that, to my mind at least.

can I ask what is the response you want to hear?

 

[Stuart M]

can I ask what is the response you want to hear?

What I would have liked to see is, in addition to humanitarian aid, NZGov contract with the likes of SAAB or others to manufacture munitions on behalf of the Ukrainian government to a certain value. Because timeliness is a factor, in practice use those new items to replace the stocks in others inventories, like NLAW stocks in the UK, which would be the actual items sent. Of course I would expect that to be conditional, ensuring that such an effort not be used as a means of using NZ to subsidise nations other than Ukraine.

NZs response is little more than a continuation of its defence policy imo.

 

[Kiwigov]

Pretty sure the reason for this is that NZ politicians see no need for air defence, as they wont deploy armed forces to any area where that kind of threat exists.

I take your point, although of course that deployment decision assumes remarkably good intel - and events can change rapidly once NZ forces are deployed. For example, it would be quite deniable for a certain dragon empire to embroil ANZAC forces into a 'peaceful' intervention, and then provide local supporters with tube-launched armed drones (controlled from afar) to inflict chaos