Reports and Publications

• Marine Forces Review
  • Contents
  • Summary
  • Policy Requirements
  • Shaping Factors
  • Requirements of the Navy
  • Gap Analysis
  • Capability Requirements to Meet Policy Gaps
  • Fleet Composition Option for the Royal New Zealand Navy
  • Implications
  • The Way Ahead
  • Glossary
  • Annex A - Terms of Reference

Within this section

• Table 5: Capabilities required to meet gaps in delivery of government policy requirements
• Inshore patrol vessels
• Offshore patrol vessels
• Multi-Role vessel
• Ice-strengthening
• Utility of vessel options within the geographic zones
• Figure 2: Utility of vessel options within geographic zones

Maritime Forces Review

Capability requirements to meet policy gaps

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1. In order to determine how best to fill the gaps identified above, the capabilities required to meet task demands were defined. It was determined that these capabilities can be embodied in three types of vessel. The capability requirements for an Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV), an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) and a Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) are summarised in Table 5 and expanded below.

Table 5: Capabilities required to meet gaps in delivery of Government policy requirements

	IPV	OPV	MRV
Max speed	20-24kts	20-24kts	20-24kts
Cruise speed	13-16kts	13-16kts	10-13kts
Endurance / Range	1 week/2,000nm	3 weeks/2-4,000nm	4 weeks/6,000nm
Seakeeping	Up to and including SS4	Up to and including SS6	Up to and including SS8
Helicopter capability	Replenishment / winching (no deck)	Helicopter deck for operations up to SS5	Embark 1 Seasprite and operate 2 utility helicopters or 1 heavy helicopter up to SS5
Boats	2xRHIB deployable up to and including SS4	2xRHIB deployable up to and including SS4	2xRHIB deployable up to and including SS4. Lighters or mexeflotes for ship to shore movement
Air/surface radar	Range to 24nm for surface contacts and interaction with aircraft	Range to 24nm for surface contacts and interaction with aircraft	Range to 24nm for surface contacts and interaction with aircraft
Command & control	Non-integrated, able to receive Common Operational Picture and conduct secure communications	Non-integrated, able to receive Common Operational Picture and conduct secure communications	Non-integrated, able to receive Common Operational Picture and Tactical Data Link, and conduct secure communications
Manoeuvrability	No special requirement	No special requirement	Must be able to berth without tug support
Ice-strengthening	None	Required if tasking includes Southern Ocean / Ross Sea	Required if tasking includes Southern Ocean / Ross Sea
Lift capability	None	Limited	Transport and support an Army heavy company
Gun	Small (e.g. .50 cal)	40-76mm	40-76mm

Inshore patrol vessels

2. An IPV is essentially a large launch used primarily for surveillance activities and response or continuous presence in coastal waters. In accordance with their role, IPVs have a small crew, limited endurance and no helicopter capability, but are capable of relatively fast speeds. IPVs would perform inshore and coastal tasks, mainly for MFish and Customs. The relatively small size of IPVs would mean they would not normally perform tasks outside the coastal zone, although they would have some ability to do so in good weather conditions.
3. Vessels conducting operations in the inshore zone would not require the capability to operate a helicopter as aerial surveillance could be provided by fixed or rotary wing aircraft operating from the shore. The minimum level of helicopter capability for IPVs is to be able to embark Fisheries or Customs officers, which could be done by winching, and the ability to vertically replenish the vessel if necessary.
4. Financial constraints may limit the ability to acquire immediately both a MRV and all of the patrol force capabilities needed. Innovative and bridging solutions need to be investigated. Upgrading the Navy's existing fleet of five IPCs would provide a low cost solution for meeting the inshore requirement, although it would not satisfy the total requirement. The Navy's IPCs as presently configured are not ideally suited for the inshore patrol task, due largely to a significant speed limitation that cannot be improved (a maximum speed of 12.5 knots). Civilian agencies agree, however, that upgraded IPCs could provide a workable solution should financial constraints prevent the immediate acquisition of a more suitable capability. Upgrades would include improving seakeeping, enhancing communications and fitting a faster, more capable RHIB. The IPCs, in conjunction with the diving support vessel, Manawanui, would still be required to provide training and a mine countermeasures and clearance diving support capability. As further funds become available, the IPCs would progressively be replaced by specialist fast inshore patrol vessels.

Offshore patrol vessels

5. OPVs are vessels with the ability to operate for extended periods and undertake a range of tasks. An OPV is therefore more capable than an IPV. OPVs could perform both inshore and offshore tasks, although they provide a greater level of capability than is required for meeting inshore civilian tasks around the North Island. This does mean however, that they are able to conduct patrols that range between these two areas and beyond. They provide a higher level of flexibility for managing programmed and response tasks in both the inshore and offshore zones.
6. An OPV can contribute to tasks in the South Pacific such as providing a New Zealand presence and contributing to resource protection tasks. An OPV is also the desired platform for maritime counter-terrorism capabilities as it embodies the required characteristics of speed, helicopter capability and multiple RHIB launch.

Helicopter Capability

7. A helicopter, such as the Seasprite with its sensor suite, extends the surveillance range of a surface vessel up to twelve times. Given the vastness of our EEZ, this enables fewer vessels to cover a larger area. Helicopters operating from the MRV and/or OPVs would provide an additional means by which to board vessels of interest and rescue/evacuate people when sea conditions preclude the use of RHIBs, and would meet the DoC requirement for resupply of offshore bases. The long duration of patrols in distant parts of the New Zealand EEZ and the distances involved in some resupply tasks will require a basic hangar to prevent damage to the helicopter caused by sustained exposure to sea spray. Industry will be consulted as to how to best find an affordable and viable solution to this requirement. The need for helicopters will be met by the recently acquired fleet of five Seasprite maritime helicopters.
8. There is no requirement for a helicopter to be permanently embarked on an OPV. It would be desirable, however, to temporarily embark a helicopter for specific operations. These would include maritime counter-terrorism and distant operations within and around New Zealand's EEZ, particularly in the southern zones. An embarked helicopter is required for efficient DoC resupply tasks if it is not possible to unload people and supplies by RHIB.

Multi-Role vessel

9. In its 8 May statement the Government directed that a suitable MRV, with long distance and Southern Ocean capabilities, would replace Canterbury when she is retired in 2005. The Government also directed that a limited tactical sealift capability be investigated for operations such as disaster relief in the South Pacific. The MRV would also need to be able to carry out other tasks such as maritime patrol.
10. The military and civilian sealift requirement is for the transport of people and equipment into a theatre of operations so that they will be able to operate effectively once ashore. There is also a requirement to support and sustain this deployed group for a period of up to 30 days. The military requirement for sealift includes the transport of the Army's light armoured vehicles. This requirement will influence the type of MRV that is purchased. Given the limitations in port facilities in the South Pacific and parts of Southeast Asia, there is a requirement to be able to off-load people and equipment without access to a port facility.
11. The military requirement for sealift is driven by the smallest land force component that is operationally viable, which is a company group. Components of this lift will include personnel, vehicles, fuel, water, ammunition, spares and food. The civilian sealift requirement requires the ability to transport rebuilding equipment and materials and vehicles such as small bulldozers and utility vehicles.

Ice-strengthening

12. Tasks in the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea require an ice-strengthened vessel. It may be possible to ice-strengthen either the MRV or one or more OPVs. Advice from industry will be sought as to which is the most appropriate and cost-effective vessel for ice-strengthening.
13. Any ice-strengthened vessel would be reliant to a large extent, as the fishing vessels are, on an icebreaker operated by another country to gain access to the Ross Sea. An ice-strengthened MRV could operate in the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea during the summer months, and would be able to conduct Southern Ocean patrols (north of the Ross Sea) for most of the year. There may be some cost and design limitations in this option, depending on the actual vessel chosen.
14. An ice-strengthened OPV would be able to operate in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean during summer when the majority of tasks are required. It is unlikely to be able to operate in the Southern Ocean during winter, although the number of tasks required during this period would be minimal. An embarked helicopter is considered necessary for Southern Ocean patrols.

Utility of vessel options within the geographic zones

15. As highlighted above, the task requirements and physical environments are diverse and challenging. The result is a need for a mix of vessels able to provide depth of utility across the roles, and be fiscally sustainable. Figure two shows where inshore and offshore patrol vessels and the MRV would be used. It also demonstrates that the naval combat force would be used primarily for South Pacific, regional and global tasks.

Figure 2: Utility of vessel options within geographic zones

View text equivalent of above image.

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