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Post by meo4 on Feb 12, 2020 21:49:26 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Oct 17, 2017 21:13:41 GMT 12
A developer has been given permission by Auckland Council to demolish the final four ex-Air Force barracks at Hobsonville Point. Homes Land Community (HLC) communicated the message to residents via the Hobsonville Point Residents Society (HPRS) on October 2. The four double-storeyed barracks will be replaced by the Launch Bay precinct containing around 300 homes. HLC chief executive Chris Aiken said temporary buildings, such as the barracks, which were built for a shorter life span, have proven difficult to retain primarily because of the materials and products used. They contain asbestos and lead throughout, common construction products when the barracks were built in the 1930s. "You're not just talking about pulling the building apart, you're talking about pretty much every single part of the building coming down or off," Aiken said. "The cost in this one exceeded the cost of replacing it, so it doesn't make any sense." He said the net cost to replace the buildings was equivalent to around 30 affordable homes. Even so, it was a "hard call". Sandy Burrowes said she understood that they might be beyond the point of being a good investment to renovate or repurpose. "Sometimes you have to let a little bit go to make way for the future, so I'm kind of neutral with it." Logan Nankivell said he thought it was a shame to lose military history. The buildings had also been used most recently for training purposes, meaning the interiors were in poor condition. Resident Mark Stratton said it was a "bit sad" as he had stayed in the barracks as part of ATC training as a teen, but understood there wasn't much that could be done with the buildlings. "I just wonder what they're going to put in its place - whether they put nice housing or whether they just fire up the same old, same old." "I have family members in the military so I kind of feel some sort of connection there." A development project manager Joe Holden, who regularly uses the Hobsonville Point ferry, said the buildings were "well past their used-by date". He said people often didn't realise the process behind development, which led them to comment from an emotional perspective. Aiken said all important heritage buildings have been retained, such as the hangars at Catalina Bay, the cafe, hall and headquarters building. Materials able to be salvaged from the barracks will be recycled. The new waterside precinct stretches between Jimmy's Point, Catalina Bay and the hangar on Launch Rd, and will have the Marlborough Oval as the focal point - which will be retained as a council reserve. Four former officers' houses have been kept and will be on the market in 2018. There were originally four sets of barracks. Most of these were single-storey and assigned to single airmen and trainees. According to the Air Force Museum Of New Zealand, original plans for the barracks were dated 1934. The developer, Marlborough Precinct Holdings Ltd, will begin civil works in October. Demolishment of the barracks will take around a month. Hobsonville Point will have eventually have 4,500 homes. i.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-harbour-news/97722442/last-set-of-points-exair-force-barracks-slated-for-demolishment
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Post by meo4 on May 8, 2017 22:32:34 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Mar 8, 2017 22:14:51 GMT 12
Excerpt from Navy today on the Scaneagle trails on Wellington Another new advantage was getting to trial a remote Piloted aircraft System (rPaS) for the first time. The Scaneagle rPaS is designed to augment the ship’s Intelligence, Surveillance and reconnaissance (ISr) capability. a four-person team from australian company Insitu Pacific Ltd would launch the drone from WeLLINGTON’s flight deck, retrieving it hours later with the use of a vertical arrester wire. “This was the first time the rNZN had launched a fixed-wing aircraft since WWII. www.navy.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/navy-today/nt207.pdf
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Post by meo4 on Oct 20, 2016 19:13:21 GMT 12
I'm surprised no body has commented on the suggestions made in the Army News to combine recruit training for all three services into one facility. An army facility of course. I think. It's referring to the two land based services army/airforce . All training in the navy training is more based around life on ship and basic mariner skills.
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Post by meo4 on Oct 12, 2016 22:01:31 GMT 12
The crew of a guided-missile destroyer fired three missiles to defend themselves and another ship after being attacked on Sunday in the Red Sea by two presumed cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi-forces, USNI News has learned. During the attack against USS Mason (DDG-87), the ship’s crew fired the missiles to defend the guided-missile destroyer and nearby USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) from two suspected cruise missiles fired from the Yemini shore, two defense officials told USNI News. Mason launched two Standard Missile-2s (SM-2s) and a single Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) to intercept the two missiles that were launched about 7 P.M. local time. In addition to the missiles, the ship used its Nulka anti-ship missile decoy, the sources confirmed. Mason was operating in international waters north of the strait of Bab el-Mandeb at the time of the attack. According to a defense official on Monday, Mason “employed onboard defensive measures” against the first suspected cruise missile, “although it is unclear whether this led to the missile striking the water or whether it would have struck the water anyway.” The official did not specify that the defensive measure was a missile fired from the ship. USNI News understands, as of Monday, the crew of the ship was uncertain if the suspected cruise missile was taken out by an SM-2 or went into the water on its own. In the Monday statement, the Pentagon said an investigation was ongoing. The second missile launched from Yemen hit the water without being struck by a U.S. interceptor, the Petnagon said. Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis would not confirm Mason launched missiles to USNI News on Monday. On Tuesday, Davis told reporters the missiles coming from Yemen might have been intended to strike Ponce and that the U.S. “will take action accordingly,” in response to the findings of the ongoing investigation. While the Pentagon will not confirm details of Mason’s engagement, the use of both missiles by the U.S. is, “very significant,” Bryan Clark, a naval analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and former aide to retired former-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, told USNI News on Monday. “It might be the first time the SM-2 used against an actual threat for which it was designed,” Clark said. “It’s definitely the first time ESSM has been used… This is obviously a huge deal.” The SM-2s – more than two decades old – were specifically designed to tackle Cold War cruise missile threats to a guided-missile destroyer, much like the ones Iran has presumably given to the Houthis in Yemen. Last week a Houthi-launched cruise missile caused significant damage to the UAE-leased HSV Swift – an unarmed aluminum high-speed transport vessel used to move supplies and wounded in the region, UAE officials said. UAE is part of a Saudi Arabia led coalition that has fought against the Iran-backed Shi’a Houthis in Yemen since last year. While U.S. sources haven’t confirmed the type of missiles, open source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News on Monday the damage on Swift appears to be from the warhead used in a Chinese-built C-802 anti-ship missile (NATO reporting name CSS-N-8 Saccade). The C-802 is based on Cold War-era French technology. Specifically, the damage on Swift indicates the missile had an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead – a well-known feature of the C-802. An EFP expands on impact launching additional pieces of shrapnel once the missile has penetrated the outer skin of a target around its circumference. While the guidance system is largely 1990s vintage, the C-802 carries a, “very damaging warhead,” Carlson said. The attacks on Mason and Ponce follow an airstrike that killed more than 140 people and injured more than 500 during a funeral in Yemen. The Saudi-led bombing has prompted a review of U.S. support of the conflict fought between the collation and the Houthis since last year, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Prior to the Saudi strike, Houthi rebels have told Saudi Arabia and its allies — via Iranian state media — to stay out of Yemen, “territorial waters.” However the Houthis, “denied firing at the USS Mason guided missile destroyer and the USS Ponce,” according to a Tuesday report from the Reuters newswire. Davis told reporters on Tuesday, there’s no short-term anticipated change in U.S. posture in the region. news.usni.org/2016/10/11/uss-mason-fired-3-missiles-to-defend-from-yemen-cruise-missiles-attack
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Post by meo4 on Oct 3, 2016 19:47:58 GMT 12
A Chinese spy ship has come in from the cold to berth in Auckland harbour, but according to one security analyst, its presence is no cause for concern. According to port records, the ship arrived on Sunday and is expected to stay until Thursday. However, the vessel was spotted in Auckland as early as last Thursday. The vessel is named the Yuan Wang 5, which translates to "long view" - an apt name for a ship equipped with satellite technology. Security analyst Dr Paul Buchanan said it was a spy ship. "They're what we call multi-platform. Their public mission is to monitor their satellites and missiles. That's about 30 per cent of what they do," he said. "Signal intelligence, predominantly of the United States, naval threats and observing other countries telemetry data ... they try to listen to submarine communications. "That's probably 60, 70 per cent of what they do." There were similar American and French vessels with a South Pacific presence, Buchanan said. He noted the crew of 450 was disproportionate to "Most of them will not be sailors." However, Buchanan said there was little reason to be concerned. "There's no real big deal. We'll be listening to them listening to us ... our spies will want to have a look, and probably will," he said. "Some people are saying 'they're coming in to listen closer' but they don't need to come into port to listen to us if they wanted to." If it is a spy operation it isn't a particularly savvy one - the vessel isn't exactly in unostentatious hiding, being snapped by Reddit users four days ago. Buchanan said we can expect similar ships to dock in our harbours in future. "It's part of a bigger scene, and that game is only going to become more intense. "It's part of China's push to be a great power ... in order to be a great power, you need to make your presence known in a far-off place." China recently signed a deal with Argentina allowing them to have a satellite station on Argentinian territory, meaning many spy ships in the vicinity of South America could be re-deployed to the Pacific in future, he said. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy were not immediately available for comment. www.stuff.co.nz/national/84905366/chinese-spy-ship-spotted-in-auckland-harbour
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Post by meo4 on Oct 1, 2016 21:14:32 GMT 12
The flag of the Royal New Zealand Navy is flying high above the Auckland Harbour Bridge for the first time. The White Ensign is flying to mark Saturday's 75th anniversary of the foundation of the navy and will fly annually on October 1. Chief of Navy, John Martin, said the White Ensign symbolised the navy's historic contribution to the peace and security of New Zealand. "Our navy patrols the fourth-largest exclusive economic zone in the world and our work stretches from Antarctica to the Middle East," Martin said. "In this, our 75th year, it is wonderful to celebrate our country's acknowledgement of their navy in such a way." Only four flags aside from the national one have been permitted to fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Tino Rangatiratanga flag flies on Waitangi Day and the Australian flag on ANZAC Day. The Red Ensign, or Merchant Navy Flag, was flown on the bridge for the first time on September 3, 2014, to commemorate the role of the Merchant Navy in wartime. On January 22 this year the proposed Silver Fern flag, which was part of the flag referendum, was flown until March 22. www.stuff.co.nz/national/84861117/Royal-New-Zealand-Navy-White-Ensign-flying-above-Auckland-Harbour-Bridge
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Post by meo4 on Sept 26, 2016 21:46:58 GMT 12
At least NZ will now be able to pull it's weight when it comes to joint US NZ Antarctic logistic support. New Zealand is heavily reliant on the flexibility that access to the combined New Zealand and United States airlift brings as part of the NZ/US Joint Logistics Pool. New Zealand Antarctic Programme passengers and cargo have access to all US or New Zealand flights to Antarctica. In 2015/16 there are approx. 120 flights of which 7 are provided by the RNZAF. In 2014/15 the RNZAF was scheduled to provide 8 flights although 3 were not able to be provided due to a combination of: - weather conditions - mechanical problems - the early closing and late opening of the Pegasus runway. www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCFDT_EVI_00DBSCH_ANR_66643_1_A493987/fff37e0a1169a5fb25e71303acd7c0b8338a32fc
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Post by meo4 on Sept 11, 2016 8:39:31 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Jul 20, 2016 22:20:24 GMT 12
I have to admit I looked and saw no guns and thought "another civvie boat for the Navy" Except for the 20mm CIWS ( the r2d2 looking weapon ) on the forecastle and the 50cal on the bridge wings.
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Post by meo4 on Sept 18, 2015 22:50:25 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on May 7, 2015 20:32:38 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Mar 20, 2015 16:56:04 GMT 12
Boat caught with illegal 180 tonne toothfish haul A boat snared poaching in the Southern Ocean was detained after docking in Thailand with 180 tonnes of toothfish. The Kunlun arrived in Phuket on Monday and attempted to offload what it claimed was groper. Previously registered to Equatorial Guinea, it was falsely reflagged as an Indonesian vessel and renamed Taichan. Bangkok-based New Zealand officials, police and customs officers arrived on the island soon after and have been working with Thai counterparts to hold the boat and its illegal haul. Its understood one of the heads of the notorious Spanish syndicate Vidal Armadores also travelled to Phuket after it became clear the boat was to be detained. The Government worked quietly behind the scenes after the navy was slammed for failing to board two of a fleet of three vessels spotted poaching in Antarctic waters in January. After tracking the Kunlun to Thailand, they alerted officials and passed on evidence collected by the HMNZS Wellington patrol. Meanwhile, recent raids in Spain on Vidal Armadores-linked companies came after pressure from Wellington. Operation Sparrow - an investigation into alleged links with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities marked the first time Spain enforced a new fisheries law. The rust-eaten Yongding and Songhua are still operating in the Southern Ocean. Foreign affairs minister Murray McCully said he was able to confirm New Zealand authorities were working with Thai authorities. "This is a result of very good co-operation we have had with governments in a number of countries. "I draw attention to my earlier remarks that we weren't going to put a stop to this business overnight but we were prepared to invest the necessarily energy to make sure we put them out of business at some point." McCully previously fingered the poachers as Spanish pirates and named Stanley Management Incorporated, a Panama company and Sucre Arias Reyes, law firm, that he said provides a front for boats illegally fishing for the pricey delicacy. Thailand is not due to pass domestic fishing laws until June, which left authorities with few legal options. "Two things were useful," a New Zealand government source said. "Firstly, they'd declared the catch as groper, not toothfish. There is no question [it is toothfish]. It is an offence to declare your fish something different to what it is. That gave [Thailand] some capacity to hold for some time. "Separately, the boat had gone in there identifying itself as the Tiachan, flying the Indonesian flag. Our guys were quick to establish with the Indonesians that they didn't own it. So, it is technically stateless, giving the Thai authorities a facet to keep the vessel held. We've been encouraging them to confiscate the catch, so they don't get any benefit from their misdeeds." The source added the Vidal Amadores "have had their people on the ground trying to get their boat sprung." The raids in Spain came "as a result of information being supplied to them on a continuing basis." Antarctic toothfish is prized by top-end restaurants. They can grow up to 40kg in the remote and over-fished waters, and fetch around US$50 ($64) a kilo. i.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/67439413/boat-caught-with-illegal-180-tonne-toothfish-haul
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Post by meo4 on Jan 24, 2015 20:45:22 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Sept 17, 2014 18:07:18 GMT 12
Two South Korean-flagged fishing vessels working off the West Coast have been ordered back to port over pollution issues.
Maritime New Zealand said that in a joint operation with the Defence Force it had checked 16 fishing vessels in the Tasman Sea.
Two South Korean-flagged foreign charter fishing vessels (FCVs), the Gom 379 and the Ser Este 700, were sent back to port to rectify non-compliance related to marine protection rules, MNZ said.
In addition to environmental protection issues, inspection of the vessels covered certification and lifesaving gear, emergency preparedness and working practices.
The South Koreans sent back to port were required to correct deficiencies in their oily water systems and have a full inspection before returning to sea.
The Gom 379 remains under investigation by MNZ.
The operation with the offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington and an air force P3K Orion ran for six days, with boarding of six FCVs, four New Zealand-flagged factory trawlers and six smaller inshore fishing boats.
Southern regional compliance manager David Billington said the rationale for the operation was that being on a ship at sea was the best way to get a true picture of how it operated.
"It's really good to see the vessel when it's actually working," he said.
"Problems are a lot more visible than when it's tied up. And when a vessel is on the water, you get to see the practices in action, which is when any issues will come to light."
Billington said the New Zealand vessels in particular were observed to have good oil pollution prevention and garbage management practices.
"Their practices were excellent," he said.
"They were doing exactly what their plans said they would do. They had the right facilities and good practices.
"Our team observed that they often took the extra step to ensure they were not only meeting requirements but exceeding them."
The 40-year-old Gom 379 is a stern trawler chartered to Northern Deepwater, which has been fishing for quota owned by Northland iwi Ngapuhi and East Coast iwi Ngati Kahungunu.
The 31-year-old Sur Este 700 is already under MNZ investigation after a fisheries observer had his arm mutilated in a conveyer on the factory deck.
It was holed and leaked oil last year after it hit rocks at Stewart Island.
The ship is chartered by Timaru's South East Resources.
Both vessels have Indonesian crews.
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Post by meo4 on Sept 14, 2014 18:41:53 GMT 12
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Post by meo4 on Sept 14, 2014 10:25:56 GMT 12
Don't think buying Aussie 2nd hand ANZACs would be good value for money considering the NZ frigates are in far better condition eg new main engines TB93 , new upgraded HVAC new control and monitoring system where the Aussie are still operating the older original TB83s engines and older C and M system HVAC etc. Buying 2nd hand Aussie ships would require an expensive upgrade to bring the ships platform systems up to standard.
Once the NZ frigates have the self defence upgrade in Canada new radars , sensors, weapon systems etc they will be highly capable.
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Post by meo4 on Jul 13, 2014 12:20:15 GMT 12
Here's a conceptual design from Navy today of what the frigates could look like with new 3D radar , Infra red search track, decoy launchers etc.
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Post by meo4 on Jul 13, 2014 12:07:28 GMT 12
RNZAF ORION Infra red footage of rescue .
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