WELLINGTON, Recent Zealand — Recent Zealand’s military will receive about NZ$5.3 billion (U.S. $3.3 billion) under the country’s 2023/2024 defense budget, unveiled May 18.
Last yr, the Recent Zealand Defence Force received about NZ$4.9 billion. Inflation to December 2022 was just over 7%, in line with Statistics NZ.
Recent Zealand’s Army has the most important share of funding among the many armed services, receiving NZ$1.1 billion. The Army received about NZ$1.1 billion last yr.
The federal government is allocating about NZ$1 billion — in comparison with NZ$941 million last yr — to the Royal Recent Zealand Air Force.
The Royal Recent Zealand Navy is about to get about NZ$714 million — a rise from last yr’s NZ$667 million.
A further NZ$574 million will go toward protecting Recent Zealand’s territorial sovereignty and contribute to regional and global security efforts. And greater than NZ$30 million is supposed to help with “the employment of Recent Zealand’s Armed Forces overseas, and to enable the supply of military capabilities overseas.”
The Government Communications Security Bureau, which focuses on gathering intelligence from electronic communications, is to receive almost NZ$402 million — a 25% increase from last yr.
The Defence Ministry is about to get about NZ$1.3 billion for the “procurement of major military capabilities.” This includes NZ$605 million for five latest C-130J-30 Hercules airlifters to switch the present C-130H fleet, which has been in service with the Air Force since 1965, and almost NZ$14 million for P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The third P-8A of 4 ordered is to reach in Recent Zealand on May 19.
The budget also includes more pay for military personnel, with increases starting from NZ$4,000 to NZ$15,000, starting July 1 and costing NZ$419 million over 4 years. Defence Minister Andrew Little said the rise has led to the withdrawal of some resignation letters.
The budget for resource and border protection operations increases from NZ$610 million to NZ$634 million.
Nick Lee-Frampton is the Recent Zealand correspondent for Defense News.