I did see in the news at some time recently that National were also intending to raise Defence spending to 2% GDP, I never saved the link as it is still a long way out from the election and a lot can change in almost a year and a half.
NZDF General discussion thread
- Thread starter NZLAV
- Start date
ACT Thanks National For Defence Policy Support
“ACT is pleased to see that National Party members have read ACT’s Real Change Budget and supported a remit to adopt our policy of raising defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP,” says ACT’s Defence spokesperson Dr James McDowall. “Politik ...
www.scoop.co.nz
It was reported (ACT party press release) that the Lower North Island party conference had voted for an increase of Defence spending to 2% of GDP in line with Australian and ACT party policy. Grassroot support but not official National party policy at this point in time.
Hopefully indicative of greater awareness and willingness among the electorate for greater defence spending but, as you say, a long way out from an election.
Deployment of a 30 strong NZDF training team to the UK until July. To teach Ukrainian soldiers how to use the L119 105mm light gun. Interestingly the brits will be providing strategic airlift, for the team, training ammunition etc, not the NZDF.
New Zealand sending 30 Defence Force personnel to Europe to train Ukraine's Armed Forces
New Zealand sending 30 Defence Force personnel to Europe to train Ukraine's Armed Forces
RubiconNZ
The Wanderer
A bit of a masterclass by Winston Peters on the importance of engagment in the Pacific in a Diplomatic and Security perspective. (There is a small-medium of self congratulation on there identification) but largely apolitical lecture. If you’re interested in the geopolitics of the region and encourage the importance of awareness and engagement.
Video link in the article has the full lecture.
www.newshub.co.nz
Video link in the article has the full lecture.
Stuff
www.newshub.co.nz
kiwi in exile
Active Member
the ex NZ first masterclasses continue.
Ron Mark has been visiting Ukraine boots on te ground, doing aid work and speaks to RNZ Karyn Hay.
Lately for Monday 23 May 2022 Lately | RNZ
PM thinks his presence wont ad anything to the situation on the ground.
Mark states NZ officilas will be getting hard word from allied officials to do more in Ukraine - driving todays sudden announcement of artillery training.
Ron Mark has been visiting Ukraine boots on te ground, doing aid work and speaks to RNZ Karyn Hay.
Lately for Monday 23 May 2022 Lately | RNZ
PM thinks his presence wont ad anything to the situation on the ground.
Mark states NZ officilas will be getting hard word from allied officials to do more in Ukraine - driving todays sudden announcement of artillery training.
Good to see NZ making use of the NZDF skills & more to the point the subtle message this sends to the NZ public, the NZDF has relevance and not just in the South Pacific. With regard to Brits providing airlift we all know 40 sqn may be stretched to do this as it may not just be bums on seats... "The UK will coordinate the airlift to take New Zealand's team there, as well as training ammunition and other equipment, including aiming systems".
Not sure if the above means NZ or UK will provide 'training ammunition and other equipment' but regardless I suspect the UK have requested the NZDF gunners expertise and are happy to supply the 'taxi'! I remember reading a story in the NZ Army news something like 3-4 years ago where an ex-British Army gunnery officer (had either joined the NZ Army or on secondment) anyway he was waxing lyrical about gunnery in the NZ Army saying he'd fired over 5000 rounds in his time which was way beyond what he would've done in the British Army in the same time... so clearly the Brits think our gunners may be the 'go to' guys!
<edit> Minister of Defence Peeni Henare.... "We are also providing approximately 40 gun sights to Ukraine, along with a small quantity of ammunition for training purposes," he said.
NZDF to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK to use L119 gun
Another 30 Defence Force personnel are heading to the UK to train Ukrainian soldiers. The NZDF personnel will be stationed in the UK until the end of July, and will train Ukrainian military members in operating a specific weapon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it's a training-only mission...
www.rnz.co.nz
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InterestedParty
Active Member
Excuse the one linerI remember reading a story in the NZ Army news something like 3-4 years ago where an ex-British Army gunnery officer (had either joined the NZ Army or on secondment) anyway he was waxing lyrical about gunnery in the NZ Army saying he'd fired over 5000 rounds in his time which was way beyond what he would've done in the British Army in the same time... so clearly the Brits think our gunners may be the 'go to' guys!
<edit> Minister of Defence Peeni Henare.... "We are also providing approximately 40 gun sights to Ukraine, along with a small quantity of ammunition for training purposes," he said.
NZDF to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK to use L119 gun
Another 30 Defence Force personnel are heading to the UK to train Ukrainian soldiers. The NZDF personnel will be stationed in the UK until the end of July, and will train Ukrainian military members in operating a specific weapon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it's a training-only mission...
If they are as good as the NZ artillery was at the Battle of Long Tan then the Ukraine gunners are in good hands
I wish them all the best
Generally speaking all three of NZ's armed services have been very good at hitting what they aim at over the years. The reason given for this accuracy is that because of our small budget we cannot afford to waste the ammo, so you have to hit what you aim at or be regarded as not achieving what is expected of you. Not good for career prospects, himmm
I remember back in the Mid 1960's when I had just finished Mech's course and had been posted to 42 sqd were we had 1 Dak set up for target droge towing, the Dak left for a gunnery calibrating mission for the navy. When it got back the pilot was still shaking and explained that the ships gunners had blown away the droge and then proceeded to track up the droge wire towards the aircraft, with the pilot yelling over the radio for them to cease firing as he thought the aircraft would be next.
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Better not show this to my cousin. He's a retired WO gunner RNZA and I won't hear the end of it for ages. He loves bagging the Navy & Air Force
On the diplomatic front it appears that our glorious leader has decided to pick a side and we are now on the western alliance side.
" “There is a feeling I get when I look to the west” – Led Zepplin, ‘Stairway to Heaven“
In the hours before she flew out to the United States and possibly a meeting with President Biden, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern firmly nailed New Zealand’s colours to the western-bloc mast in its confrontations with both Russia and China.
Ardern last night confirmed that New Zealand would join the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is intended to challenge China’s economic leadership in the region. Looking to the west | Politik "
So she's finally nailed our colours to the mast. About time.
The article above is by Richard Harman from Politik and he ended the article with this:
"As New Zealand gets drawn back into the western alliance, it will be inevitable that there will be questions about the country’s defence expenditure.
Already ACT and a National Party regional conference have called for it to be raised from 1.4 per cent to two per cent of GDP. And significantly within the Asia-Pacific region, Japan is currently proposing to raise its defence expenditure from one to two per cent of GDP. All of this adds up to a sharpening confrontation within the Asia-Pacific region. Now that New Zealand has effectively chosen aside, that will surely start to bring its own challenges."
He is quite right about that and followers of this thread will be aware of those challenges, so I won't repeat them ad nauseum. The other thing that the article mentioned was the fact that NZ was growing closer to NATO and that at the recent NATO Military Committee, NZ, Australia, South Korea and Japan, who are NATO's Asia Pacific Partners, were present. Here they were learning the lessons from the Russo - Ukrainian War and looking to see how they will apply to challenges that the four nations face in the Asia Pacific, and how NATO and the NATO Asia Pacific partners can learn from each other. Both Sweden and Finland were at the meeting as well and I believe that is a good chance to form closer ties with them as well.
Robert Ayson had an article published in Newsroom this morning and he looked NZ foreign policy change and the demise of its uniqueness as geopolitical overtake it, and NZ has had to come down off the fence, much to the chagrin of the MFAT experts and bureaucrats. I can hear the gnashing of teeth, tearing of hair, and rendering of expensive cloth still emanating from MFAT HQ
Prof Ayson also looks at the policy change in context with Australian change of government and how that will impact NZ's South Pacific approach. Robert Ayson: New Australian Govt Will Merely Peg Back Tensions With Independent NZ Path | Newsroom
Stuart M
Well-Known Member
How hypothetical and real was the RAN acquiring SSNs five years ago though?
Yes, restoration of the ACF is utterly hypothetical at this point and especially so with this government, but we don't live in an incredibly benign strategic environment by any measure and the next government will be faced with the unavoidable reality that the justifications for the abolition of the ACF are rapidly wearing increasingly thin.
Based on the well published CCP agreement, and suspected ones, with the Solomon's and Chinas track record elsewhere, I think there are merits of discussing realistic NZ counters to possible CCP naval and air deployments deployments to the South Pacific.
....and Kapyong, 161 bty again. A very proud and rightly so, unit.
The NZG has extended the NZDF Solomon Islands deployment with a review by 31/5/23. NZ Police are still present in the Solomon islands as well.
NZ committed to enduring partnership with Solomon Islands | Beehive.govt.nz
New Zealand extends Defence Force deployment to Solomon Islands, Nanaia Mahuta expresses concern over China deal directly to Foreign Minister | Newshub
Meanwhile CCP / PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be visiting the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, PNG and Timor Leste.
More details on China’s high-level delegation visit to the Pacific | RNZ News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visiting multiple nations as Pacific push continues - ABC News
NZ committed to enduring partnership with Solomon Islands | Beehive.govt.nz
New Zealand extends Defence Force deployment to Solomon Islands, Nanaia Mahuta expresses concern over China deal directly to Foreign Minister | Newshub
Meanwhile CCP / PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be visiting the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, PNG and Timor Leste.
More details on China’s high-level delegation visit to the Pacific | RNZ News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visiting multiple nations as Pacific push continues - ABC News
Gracie1234
Well-Known Member
Things are starting to get very busy in our region. China is looking to put an agreement covering 10 Pacific Island nations in place focus on security and economic development.
economictimes.indiatimes.com
It has not been signed yet, but it will be interesting to see which countries do sign and which decline. Either way, this region will require a lot more engagement, development funding and defence sources.
To me, it looks like China is working to capture the entire economy, own all of the fishing rights and operate the communications equipment. If that comes to pass, who will monitor the fishing quotas?
You could predict a scenario that China owns the rights to the fisheries, their fleets are in place and they provide their own compliance reporting. These fishing fleets will have their own security vessels to prevent an independent audit of catches. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
Now the question is what will our partners and NZ do?
In some respects, it is a good opportunity for the Pacific nations to play the two sides to get as much aid and support as possible.
China wants 10 Pacific nations to endorse sweeping agreement
China wants 10 small Pacific nations to endorse a sweeping agreement covering everything from security to fisheries in what one leader warns is a "game-changing" bid by Beijing to wrest control of the region.
It has not been signed yet, but it will be interesting to see which countries do sign and which decline. Either way, this region will require a lot more engagement, development funding and defence sources.
To me, it looks like China is working to capture the entire economy, own all of the fishing rights and operate the communications equipment. If that comes to pass, who will monitor the fishing quotas?
You could predict a scenario that China owns the rights to the fisheries, their fleets are in place and they provide their own compliance reporting. These fishing fleets will have their own security vessels to prevent an independent audit of catches. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
Now the question is what will our partners and NZ do?
In some respects, it is a good opportunity for the Pacific nations to play the two sides to get as much aid and support as possible.
Gracie1234
Well-Known Member
David Seymor just said he wanted ANZAC back and a commitment to 2% GDP funding. He said he felt unsafe! The implications of that would be massive, but from my understanding, it would not be a hard thing to do. It is just a matter of the USA removing their constraints. It is still an active agreement. Is there anything else to it? It would probably be a good time as China will be distracted with the USA saying that it would actively defend Taiwan from the use of force?
Redlands18
Well-Known Member
Well he Bl***y can't have HMAS Anzac
Im sure he meant ANZUS
Redlands18
Well-Known Member
No I don't think he meant ANZUS either, I think he meant a closer Military relationship with Australia. NZ would have to drop the Nuclear ban to get back into ANZUS.
The HMAS Anzac bit was a joke, thus the Emoji.
Sorry , my bad , just re listened to it , least he is talking the right stuff though
An interesting piece from Stuff about the PMs meeting on Tuesday, and the strategic background. Based on her speech about "kindness" to Harvard yesterday, I wonder if the penny has dropped yet with her:
www.stuff.co.nz
Another Stuff piece, this one about Minister Henare; discouraging news:
1. "traveling" this week so no opinion on the CCP soft power advnce into 10 Pacific nations
2. There will be no new DCP apparently; “We’ve just had to look at it [the existing plan] with a different lens.”
3. Quote NZ defence = humanity support (by default, not warfighting): "This year's Budget allows us to continue to be the force that we are, in response to HDAR [humanitarian and disaster relief] and other matters as we have over the past year or so.”
www.stuff.co.nz
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
Another Stuff piece, this one about Minister Henare; discouraging news:
1. "traveling" this week so no opinion on the CCP soft power advnce into 10 Pacific nations
2. There will be no new DCP apparently; “We’ve just had to look at it [the existing plan] with a different lens.”
3. Quote NZ defence = humanity support (by default, not warfighting): "This year's Budget allows us to continue to be the force that we are, in response to HDAR [humanitarian and disaster relief] and other matters as we have over the past year or so.”
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
Defence Minister Peeni Henare says $525m Budget spend will 'keep the lights on'
Very discouraging to say the least.
The whole defence force pay structure jncluding living allowances and livable housing needs to be brought up to an attractive standard. This should be the priority at the moment and needs to start NOW.
Sorry forgot - the need for a new defence minister.
An interim relief financial package is needed to assist accross all three services.
Air force - Some light helos MH60*s /AW109*s. Establish the maritime serveillance HADR unit to support the P8*s (What was going to be does not appear to have happened)
Navy - Acquire two more bigger and better armed OPV*s (two more hulls on the water upgrading the loss of 2 IPV*s - The Southern Patrol vessel would follow later it is hoped.
Army - Add some sting to our mobile units - Drones and missiles (not another lot of new uniforms)
Very discouraging to say the least.
The whole defence force pay structure jncluding living allowances and livable housing needs to be brought up to an attractive standard. This should be the priority at the moment and needs to start NOW.
Sorry forgot - the need for a new defence minister.
An interim relief financial package is needed to assist accross all three services.
Air force - Some light helos MH60*s /AW109*s. Establish the maritime serveillance HADR unit to support the P8*s (What was going to be does not appear to have happened)
Navy - Acquire two more bigger and better armed OPV*s (two more hulls on the water upgrading the loss of 2 IPV*s - The Southern Patrol vessel would follow later it is hoped.
Army - Add some sting to our mobile units - Drones and missiles (not another lot of new uniforms)