Another toy for the toy Navy

"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi) 06/26/2020 at 02:35 • Filed to: #SHIPLOPNIK

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New Zealand’s navy is something of a joke (as is our Air Force, but that’s another subject). You’d think that an island nation with one of the world’s largest marine Exclusive Economic Zones would have a Navy disproportionate to its economic strength, but in practice it works the other way round. We take the Russian approach of relying on the local environment to protect us. If you can mount a credible invasion across 2000 miles of the Southern Ocean we’re not going to beat you at sea anyway, so why bother trying: we’ll fight you on the beaches (or more accurately, in the high country forests). So our Navy is basically a Coastguard - it does Search & Rescue, Fisheries patrol, and civil defence, and flies the flag occasionally in international peacekeeping efforts.

With that as context, it is with pride and unnecessary fanfare that the Royal New Zealand Navy took delivery today of its largest and most advanced vessel ever: HMS Aotearoa, a fleet auxiliary oiler!

In fairness, she’s actually a pretty cool ship, even if she’s not exactly a Ticonderoga. The design brief says she needs to operate year-round in the deep Southern Ocean (which makes the North Atlantic look like childs play), replenish Antarctic bases, and sail through hurricanes to be first on the scene for disaster relief among the Pacific Islands. Oh, and do all the other fleet auxiliary stuff like refuel other naval vessels, operate as a hospital ship, conduct helicopter operations and intimidate fishing vessels.

The result is basically a tramp steamer built like a brick shithouse, with a world-first ice-strengthened wave-piercing design, heated flight deck and exterior equipment that allow operations in -25C weather, and a desalination plant that’ll keep a small city alive. And of course a Phalanx CIWS, because Navy.

Oh, and she’s a whole 12ft longer than the RNZN’s previous largest ship, the WWII cruiser Achilles. Whoopee!

Plus, for on-topic content : she’s a Hyundai. Designed and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 02:52

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I like the ship. Well I’m from Hawaii but I’ve always wanted to live in NZ since I visited. Hawaii was always too small for me, I’m in CA now but I am not sure I will stay here forever.

Jb boin > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 03:37

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Your Navy is not a joke, it simply doesn’t need to be a huge thing, as you said correctly, it’s shielded from possible risks by the nature and the neighbors are either small independent islands that are not a risk or big powers that are old allies.

Plus there is enough space between you and your neighbors not to have to worry about fishing zones and this kind of economical and political issues.

ps: nice ship :)

Svend > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 03:43

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She’s a good looking vessel.

I don’t or can’t find much difference between an oiler and a tanker supply ship.

Just looked, we’ve got one ‘ oiler’ in the Royal Navy, the Fort Victoria,  

They are curious shaped ships. 

Fort Victoria has been in commission since 1993.

Newer (two of four tanker supply ships) RFA Tidesurge and RAF Tideforce with RFA Fort Victoria.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Jb boin 06/26/2020 at 03:45

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Don’t get me wrong - I’m not disrespecting their professionalism. They’re a highly competent organisation that operate in one of the hardest environments around. But ultimately, it’s two frigates, a few patrol boats and an overspecced freighter: calling it a Navy is getting a bit ambitious. It’s a deep water coastguard.

I’m also somewhat amused (which is what sparked this post) by the song and dance they’re making about “the navy’s largest ever ship” when at 570-odd feet she’ll be dwarfed by most other ships in any civilian or naval port she sails into. New Zealand’s a tiny country - I know that and I like that. But it does lead to excessive amounts of chest-puffing at times, which I find amusing even when I’m participating.

She is a nice ship though.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Svend 06/26/2020 at 04:04

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Our last support vessel was designated a tanker, but she was close to 100% fuel storage This one’s more like 50/50 fuel and freight . So maybe it’s that.

Svend > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 04:39

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Our ‘Tide’ tankers are a British BMT derivative of the civilian Norwegian Skipsk onsule nt tanker , an AEGIR 18R made by Daewoo in South Korea.

The AEGIR 18 carries 16,000 m3 of fuel, the 18R takes away a third or that and gives the vessel 1,350m3 of stores. Which also makes it faster and a longer range. 

eNZo288 > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 07:28

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Watched the arrival and flybys from the office. We have a great view of the Waitemata. Made for an exciting coffee break.

ranwhenparked > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 08:01

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To be fair, you’ve got a population of about 4.9 million, that’s a bit over half the size of New York City, there’s definitely a  limit to the size of a Navy that size of a tax base can support, along with the recruiting pool for personnel. Just being able to show the flag on long distance missions is pretty good by itself, certainly way more than Fiji can do these days.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 08:08

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Nice ship.

“the WWII cruiser Achilles” - um, did no one suggest that naming a ship after someone most famous for having a fatal flaw that allowed him to be killed was not a good idea? 

facw > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 08:40

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It does look pretty fancy for an oiler! As long as Trump doesn’t manage to tear down the whole postwar collective security structure, I think you guys will be ok.

Poor_Sh > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 08:54

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“Plus, for on-topic content: she’s a Hyundai. Designed and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries.”

Is there an N version? 

OPPOsaurus WRX > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 09:18

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thats cool, how many air craft carriers do you guys have?....o

honestly, i’m sure there could have been a better place to spend that $12b 

ttyymmnn > haveacarortwoorthree2 06/26/2020 at 09:43

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To be fair, up until that whole arrow to the heel thing, Achilles was a real badass. 

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > ranwhenparked 06/26/2020 at 14:38

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When you live where we do, long distance is the only distance. 

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > facw 06/26/2020 at 14:40

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Only up to the point where China outguns the rest of us put together. Which is within our lifetimes, at current rate of progress.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > eNZo288 06/26/2020 at 14:44

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I bet it did - from what I saw in the media that was a lot of kerfuffle for a small stretch of water. Must have been right up there with the Anniversary Weekend festivities.

I’d have been able to see bits of it from home, but the office has a great view of the roadworks on the Northern Motorway. 

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Poor_Sh 06/26/2020 at 14:44

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N for Navy? Pretty sure developing one of these on the ‘Ring would be a bad idea. 

facw > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 06/26/2020 at 14:54

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China’s progress is definitely not going to be linear. It s GDP growth has alrea dy slowed dramatically (which is what you would expect it’s a lot easier to grow when your nation is deeply impoverished).

Still, China is and likely will continue to be a major economy capable of funding a major military. Conceivably it could even spend more than the US on its military (still a long way to go there). But I think it’s pretty unlikely it will ever be stronger than the rest of us put together (at least without major intermediate conquests).