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The RNZN (Royal New Zealand Navy)
which in Maori is Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa or "The
Sea Army of New Zealand” is the New Zealand Defense
Force’s maritime division. The fleet was made up of
10 ships in April 2006 with the battle force
comprising of 2 war vessels. The Royal New Zealand
Navy is presently in a transitional phase where its
function is being extended into a navy that is more
flexible than in the most recent times. Once
combat-focused and founded on the warship, a new
fleet of ships are soon to be integrated into the
fleet that will render the Royal New Zealand Navy a
much broader program from which to work. |
These ships which are "Project Protectors" are presently
under construction with only the MRV (Multi-Role Vessel)
in use at this point.
Currently, the combat force of the navy consists of two
ANZAC Class warships called the HMNZS Te Mana and the HMNZS
Te Kaha. Both frigates are anchored at the North Shore of
Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base. Te Kaha was accredited on
July 26, 1997 and Te Mana on December 10, 1999. The
armaments and specifications of the two ships are exactly
the same.
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The fleet tanker is the HMNZS Endeavour. She
supplies the fuel and other necessities for the
warships when they are on global missions, and for
allied vessels should it be necessary.
Endeavour got
its name from the ship of the Royal Navy that took
Captain James Cook to New Zealand the first time he
traveled there in 1769.
Her base port is New
Plymouth City. HMNZS Canterbury is the Royal New
Zealand Navy's new Multi-Role Vessel which came into
service in June 2007. HMNZS Resolution is the
hydrographic survey ship of the Royal New Zealand
Navy.
Resolution is employed to chart and survey the
waters surrounding New Zealand and the islands of
the Pacific. |
She used to be the USNS (United States Navy) Tenacious,
employed to tow sonar arrays in order to discover submarines
of enemies. Adventure, a small motor boat, is controlled
from Resolution. Her base port is Gisborne City. Resolution
is equipped with some of the state-of-the-art available
survey technology.
The capability of Dive Support is given by HMNZS
Manawanui. Manawanui is furnished for the employ of
the ODT (Operational Dive Team), which is groomed
for diving in the deep sea, demolition underwater,
and the disposal of explosives. Manawanui is an
extremely specialized Dive Support Vessel.
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The Royal New Zealand Navy has one patrol boat of
Moa class, the HMNZS Kahu, which is commissioned for
Training and Mine counter defense. In 2007, some 4
crafts were decommissioned.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has in operation 5 Kaman
SH-2G Seasprite helicopters for employ on the two
warships, and for future employ on the new vessel
which is multi-role and 2 offshore patrol ships that
will be integrated into the fleet from 2007 to 2008.
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These 5 aircraft are included in
the No. 6 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Navy Air Force.
Auckland’s Whenuapai Air Base is the base of the squadron,
and helicopters are designated to the ships as they are
deployed all over the world.
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