I actually think that both contracts will well serve the needs of both services and the nuances of their requirements in the years ahead including when joined in a coalition taskforce.
Unfortunately you are dead right, the negative always sells better than the positive. It does show that we are heading in the right direction in regard to the public/publicity/pollies, but also shows that we have away to go.
I would think that by now much if not all of the of the ground work in regard to surveying has been done and that the requirement would be only updating and with modern GPS, Satellites and sonar this would be a lot easier and quicker to achieve, so require far less ship time than previously. In the late 1970's I was invited as part of a group on to HMS Monowai when she first arrived in Wellington. While on board we were told that in some remote area's Cpt Cooks charts were still in use and a significant portion of the coast was still using information from charts made before 1900. The work to rectify this was completed some time ago I believe so the need for dedicated survey vessels has past.
Sadly Rob, Cyclone Winston in Fiji demonstrated that this just isn't the case. Listen to the captain of the Canterbury - "last surveyed in the 1880's":
Yes but that is Fiji, which is not our responsibility, the surveying of Fijian waters is up to the government of Fiji to arrange and prior to their Independence it was the British government's responsibility. It has never been our responsibility. We may have helped in the past,and may do in the future, I don't know. But it is not our baby.
No actually, the work was done back in the late 50's and during the 1960s well before Tui, Tarapunga & Takapu were acquired and Tarapunga & Takapu would not have been capable of sailing in the Southern Ocean. They were Inshore Survey Craft based on the Moa Class IPC. It was oceanographic work not hydrographic - big difference. I used to have some of the science papers that were published from those voyages, hence my knowledge of them.
Yep agree Ngati, my point was more about I think it stinks NIWA might have to rely on RNZN when the latter won't have as many vessels as in the past, but then again, as you stated yourself survey systems are largely modular these days so NIWA may be able to provide their own modules to spend time on LOSV, SOPV & OPV. In that case things don't look quite so bad, but it comes back to basic penny-pincing!
3Just to play devils advocate: I'm not a fan of Ms Morse either, but wouldnt a safe peacful protest be a great signal to other nations how much of a robust democracy NZ and also the US have, and how much we value free speech. Locking them up wouldn't really be the right message.USN ship to visit New Zealand. Excellent!!
Exclusive: US ship to visit NZ after 33 years - National - NZ Herald News
Already the far left wing rabble led by Val Morse, go ahead and google her, you will love her (sic) is already planning a protest.
I have no problem locking these traitors up for a few days for there own good while our USN friends are here. I am Mr Conservative after all.
Won't happen but would love to see a San Antonio class LPD visit, give the politicians something to think about in term of C&C amphibious assault and having a ship which could add to the effectiveness of the next gen Frigate with distributed lethality capabilty within a task force
Would certainly be a sight to see!!Personally I would love to see the protesters sailing out their flotilla only to meet the USNS Mercy hospital ship, but that doesn't meet the criteria.
They can have their stupid little protest, but the moment these clowns get in the way or try to obstruct our guests or the NZ public welcoming them - lock them up.
As for visiting vessels I would love to have the USS America (LHA-6) make an appearance though a Ticonderoga Class would be quite a statement and an Arleigh Burke would be excellent as well.
Barbed wire surrounded encampment at Waiouru with tent accommodation and one blanket each. Ships biscuits and bully beef. What ho old boyUSN ship to visit New Zealand. Excellent!!
Exclusive: US ship to visit NZ after 33 years - National - NZ Herald News
Already the far left wing rabble led by Val Morse, go ahead and google her, you will love her (sic) is already planning a protest.
I have no problem locking these traitors up for a few days for there own good while our USN friends are here. I am Mr Conservative after all.