Future of the Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy has several long-term projects to retain and update its capabilities for the future.

2019 Defence Capability Plan

In June 2019 the NZ Ministry of Defence released the Defence Capability Plan 2019 ^[1] which superseded the previous 2016 Defence White Paper produced by the National Government. Revealed in the 2019 DCP was the NZDF's intention to: ^[2]

• Retire immediately two of the Lake-class inshore patrol vessel. In 2022, Rotoiti, along with her sister Pukaki, was sold to Ireland for use by the Irish Naval Service. ^[3]
• Procure a new offshore patrol vessel from 2027 to patrol the southern ocean, built to commercial standards, and costing approximately $300–600 million. The future of the remaining two Lake-class inshore patrol vessels will be reassessed. In March 2022, the Ministry of Defence announced that the project was postponed indefinitely due to financial and prioritization constraints. ^[4]
• 5 MH-60R to replace the 8 SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopter from 2028 onwards, projected cost up to $1 billion.
• Procure two new enhanced sea lift vessels, one supplementing HMNZS Canterbury from 2029 before being replaced in 2035 by the second vessel. The vessels, through the provision of a well dock are expected to be able to conduct operations in a wider range of sea conditions, and proposed to have the size and capacity to carry large equipment, and sufficient aviation capacity to allow extended, long duration operations. Its size is also expected to provide for the transport of a larger number of personnel.
• An enhanced service and maintenance package to allow the extension of the two ANZAC frigates expected service lives beyond 2030.
• Replace the Protector-class Offshore Patrol vessels by early 2030s.
• Replace the Anzac-class frigates by the mid 2030s.

2025-2028 defence investments

On 6 May 2025, Defence Minister Judith Collins confirmed that the Government would allocate NZ$2 billion (US$1.2 billion) from its four-year NZ$12 billion defence funding allocation to purchasing new maritime helicopters for the Navy. ^[5]

On 21 August 2025, Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that the Government would replace the RNZN's eight Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprites with five new MH-60R Seahawks for the Royal New Zealand Navy as part of its long-term defence investment. Each Seahawk helicopter is expected to cost NZ$400 million, with a total cost of NZ$2 billion. ^[6] The Seahawk helicopters have a top speed of 333km/h and will be equipped with anti-submarine torpedoes, Hellfire air-surface missiles and machine guns. ^[7]

References

1. Defence Capability Plan 2019 (PDF) (Report). New Zealand Defence Force. 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
2. "New Zealand releases Defence Capability Plan 2019 – ADBR". 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
3. Laffan, Rebecca (13 March 2022). "Government purchases two inshore patrol vessels from New Zealand in €26m investment". Irish Examiner . Retrieved 7 June 2022.
4. Simon (2022-03-16). "S.O.P.V. G.E.T.S. Sunk". New Zealand's National Security. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
5. Collins, Judith (4 May 2025). "New helicopters a commitment to global security". Beehive.govt.nz. New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 4 May 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
6. McDonnell, Glenn (21 August 2025). "Ministers confirm replacements for aging Defence Force aircraft". Stuff . Archived from the original on 21 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
7. "New planes, helicopters for Defence Force". 1News . 21 August 2025. Archived from the original on 21 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.

Further reading

• "Equip". New Zealand Defence Force . Retrieved 22 August 2025.
• Defence White Paper 2010. Ministry of Defense, New Zealand Government. November 2010. ISBN   978-0-478-27831-6.

External links

• Royal New Zealand Navy
• Ministry of Defence