Remember HMNZS Wellington And Those Illegal Fishing Vessels?

With submissions on the 2015 Defence White Paper due to close on Monday 22 June, New Zealand First is hoping that submitters will push for a much larger Navy.

“Remember HMNZS Wellington’s ‘contact’ with those illegal fishing vessels at the beginning of the year? It seems it was more the pirate’s bad luck than our government’s good management,” says Ron Mark, New Zealand First Defence spokesperson.

“Given our Exclusive Economic Zone is a key defence function, we asked how many Navy patrols had been conducted in the Southern Ocean since 2008. It turns out Operation Castle commenced in 2011 with just 12 patrol days, 20 in 2012, 25 in 2013 and 49 in 2014.

“And despite the Southern Ocean being some of the most dangerous stretches of water on earth, not one patrol since 2008 has seen a helicopter embarked aboard ship. Helicopters not only widen the patrol envelope but are invaluable for search and rescue at sea.

“But then we get to the issue of armament. While our patrol vessels do have gyro-stabilised 25mm cannons and shells aboard ship, the Navy does not get an opportunity to fire them very often, if at all.

“With a firing rate of up to 200 rounds per minute, HMNZS Wellington fired 114 rounds in 2010 but then none until 2013 when she fired off 300 rounds. In 2014 she only fired 68 rounds, possibly explaining January’s reluctance to send one warning shot across the bow.

“New Zealand First feels there should be at least four helicopter equipped naval patrol ships at sea at any one time to cover northern waters, the Pacific, the Tasman and of course, the Southern Ocean.

“That will require a much enlarged Navy but then again our Exclusive Economic Zone is the fourth largest in the world yet, perversely, we have one of the smallest navies. Our sphere of interest is of course much larger but, as we saw in January, we are vulnerable and weak,” Mr Mark said.

ENDS

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