WELLINGTON, Recent Zealand — You fight with what you will have, and the Recent Zealand Defence Force’s firepower is proscribed.
There are insufficient personnel to operate all of the weapon systems in its inventory. Ships are mothballed, and although the primary batch of recent Bushmaster armored vehicles were delivered May 25 to Trentham Military Camp, Maj. Paul Napier of the Royal Recent Zealand Armoured Corps told Defense News that the Army lacks drivers.
“Recruits often would not have a driving license,” he said. Recent Zealand law requires those sufficiently old to drive a vehicle to have at the least nine month’s experience before the federal government issues a full license.
But training isn’t the one challenge. On May 7, 2018, then-Defence Minister Ron Mark told Defense News that the barracks he stayed in as a 20-year-old soldier still looked “precisely the rattling same.”
“They were built for the Second World War, [and] we will’t ignore that eternally,” he said.
Air Marshal Kevin Short, who began serving as chief of the Recent Zealand Defence Force in July 2018, discussed with Defense News several issues facing the military.
His military profession began in January 1976 when he joined the Royal Recent Zealand Air Force as a navigator. Since then, he has flown greater than 5,000 hours, mainly on the recently retired P-3K2 Orion.
As of June 2023, the force he leads has an end strength of 15,236. Regular forces include 4,268 within the Army, 2,390 within the Air Force and a couple of,068 within the Navy. There are 3,060 civilians serving the military, and reserve forces total 3,450.
By way of materiel, the Army’s inventory includes 105mm light guns, eight-wheel drive Recent Zealand Light Armoured Vehicles armed with 25mm cannons, and the Javelin anti-armor missile.
The Air Force’s fleet includes 4 latest P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft; eight NH90 and eight SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters; five C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft; and two Boeing 757-2K2 freight/passenger transports.
And the Navy’s fleet includes the 568-foot Polar-class sustainment vessel HMNZS Aotearoa; the 430-foot Protector-fleet amphibious and military sealift vessel HMNZS Canterbury; and two 387-foot Anzac-class frigates (the HMNZS Te Kaha and the HMNZS Te Mana).
This interview, from June 30, was edited for length and clarity.
Recent Zealand’s weapon systems was just like those of Australia, but that capability gap is widening. How does that affect the Recent Zealand Defence Force?
The NZDF seeks to be interoperable with the Australian Defence Force, our allies and partners. That is broader than simply having the identical or similar equipment; it’s about cooperating and integrating across strategic engagement, capability development, training, personnel and readiness.
Recent capability purchases akin to the P-8A and C130J, the fleet replenishment ship HMNZS Aotearoa, and the recently signed army-to-army Plan Anzac agreement are a number of examples of how the NZDF has already, and can in the longer term, work alongside Australia and our other partners.
What are the advantages of Plan Anzac?
The plan goals to reinvigorate longstanding army-to-army cooperation with the Australian Army. As close neighbors and allies, we’ve got a mutual commitment to support one another’s security, closely coordinate our efforts within the Pacific, and maintain a shared give attention to the safety and stability of our wider region.
This plan ensures our armies can proceed to effectively contribute to that. The plan will balance the enduring characteristics of the Anzac relationship, akin to close integration in capability, training and readiness, in addition to retention of sovereign capability and capability to act in support of independent joint force operations.
Is entry to the NZDF as open because it might be? What do recruiters let you know?
The Recent Zealand labor market is powerful, and there is powerful competition for young people. The defense recruiting organization continues to work hard to get enough recruits within the door to satisfy our targets, but we acknowledge that it is hard.
I consider entry criteria are appropriate, and I don’t think standards must be dropped. We should be higher at getting applicants within the door before they appear at other options.
Does the Navy risk having one other ship alongside resulting from too few sailors?
It is feasible, but the federal government recently increased remuneration, which on top of NZDF and Navy initiatives may help to arrest the attrition rate. In the meanwhile, the Navy has three vessels in care and custody resulting from crew limitations.
Should maritime interests and affairs take precedence over the Army?
All of the domains are necessary — land, sea, air and data. The very fact is that after we, for instance, deploy to the Pacific, that would involve personnel and equipment from all three services: for instance, a naval vessel carrying Army engineers and aviation assets with a purpose to reply to an emergency situation resulting from a tropical cyclone.
The Air Force’s 4 P-8As became operational on July 1. Can they supply the identical operational availability because the previous six Orions?
Yes. 4 P-8A Poseidons were considered within the business case as a viable option resulting from improvements in aircraft reliability, and through the use of flight simulators to further reduce flying hours to coach aircrew. This improvement in reliability and the shift in training capability allow the Royal Recent Zealand Air Force to raised use the P-8A for operational outputs and match the operational outputs of the now-retired P-3K2 Orion fleet.
Australia recently grounded its NH90s again. Norway and Sweden appear unhappy with their NH90s. How does the Royal Recent Zealand Air Force feel about its NH90s?
The Recent Zealand experience is different to other nations, largely resulting from our give attention to the broader maintenance, supply chain and operational support system across the platform. Our maintenance team includes NZDF military, civilian and Airbus contractor staff, and the Royal Recent Zealand Air Force has the best availability rates across the NH90 user community globally.
In June 2020, five C-130J-30 aircraft were ordered for delivery from 2024. Is that going to plan?
Yes, the aircraft delivery remains to be on schedule.
What lessons translate to the NZDF from the war in Ukraine?
The war in Ukraine has illustrated the importance to the NZDF of maintaining relationships and interoperability with partners and likeminded nations, and continuing our high-quality training of our skilled personnel in order that we’re ready and capable of support the international community’s efforts after we’re called on.
As a selected example, the war in Ukraine has served as a reminder to stay cognizant of and train for all facets of combat. Our infantry training teams, who’re deployed to the UK to instruct Ukraine’s armed forces trainees in basic soldiering skills, have also emphasized within the training they do and the importance of team cohesion on the battlefield.
One other lesson from the conflict, and previously the COVID-19 pandemic, has been the importance of supply chains to a rustic’s armed forces. The NZDF goes to take a look at its “just in time” approach, and adjust to a “just in case” approach.
Last 12 months the federal government commissioned a review of its defense policy to take a look at its defense strategy and force design. This remains to be in process. The “Defence Assessment 2021″ document had described a tougher strategic environment for Recent Zealand than in recent a long time.
In January 2023, the general public was invited to comment on the forthcoming defense review. What happened?
The web public survey has closed, with greater than 8,500 responses received. A summary shall be made available publicly at a later date.
What’s the longer term for uncrewed systems with the NZDF?
There may be a future for such technologies within the Recent Zealand Defence Force. The NZDF already uses uncrewed underwater survey technology and explosive ordnance disposal technology, and continues to explore opportunities to further de-risk maritime operations as underwater, surface and aerial uncrewed capabilities proceed to mature.
Inside the following 12 months, the Recent Zealand Army is anticipated to receive three unmanned aircraft systems designed to operate over varied distances with a purpose to add to its existing UAS capabilities.
What’s top of mind for members of the NZDF? What are they telling you?
Personnel raise many and varied issues with me as I visit camps and bases. These issues can range from pay and allowances to other conditions of service, akin to accommodation. They can also raise issues akin to deployment opportunities. I’m continually listening, as are other senior officers within the NZDF, to the matters raised by personnel. We’re nothing without our people, and our individuals are our most significant asset within the Recent Zealand Defence Force.
Former Defence Minister Ron Marks wanted to enhance NZDF accommodation. Where does that stand?
Some work has been done within the estate area, but we acknowledge way more must be done. Housing redevelopment announcements were made by the minister of defense as a part of the 2023 budget, [in which NZ$85 million (U.S. $52 million) went toward improving NZDF housing].
How is climate change shifting the balance between fighting wars and carrying out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief?
The power to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations is a results of our preparation for military operations akin to combat. The NZDF is well aware that climate change-related emergencies are more likely to be a greater a part of our future activity — a conclusion that was referred to within the “Defence Assessment 2021″ document.
Nonetheless, the principal role of the Defence Force is to be prepared for combat operations, and that is unlikely to alter.
Nick Lee-Frampton is the Recent Zealand correspondent for Defense News.