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Post by nighthawknz on Feb 13, 2020 20:37:40 GMT 12
Definitely a good looking ship - brand new always looks good. This ship will be a supply ship/oiler right? Just a shame she will not be servicing anything with really sharp teeth. Definitely a welcome addition to any joint exercises with the RAN I guess but who knows what the future may bring. - Supply solids goods, including spare parts and limited ammunition, from the x12 20foot shipping containers (4 are for dangerous goods like ammunition)
- Diesel fuel 8000T
- Aviation fuel 1500T
- 250T of fresh water.
HMNZS Aotearoa is provide global sustainment to New Zealand and coalition maritime, land and air units. Sustainment is primarily provided through resupply of fuel and secondarily through resupply of dry goods, water, spare parts or ammunition, via dual all-electric replenishment at sea rigs... I am sure she will eventually do RimPac, Talisman Sabre, Pacific Partnership, Exercise Croix du Sud, Southern Katipo, and other exercises with FDPA (BERSAMA Series) etc...
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Post by Mustang51 on Feb 14, 2020 9:51:39 GMT 12
Love to see her exercising with the Canberra class.....
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Post by nighthawknz on Mar 6, 2020 19:19:25 GMT 12
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dgd911
Flying Officer
Posts: 56
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Post by dgd911 on Mar 8, 2020 22:35:14 GMT 12
Nice update article. Nothing, unless I missed it, about the self defence weapons. It would have been nice to have the Phalanx system tested and the mini typhoons. Also nothing about helo operations testing although I suppose that will have to wait until arrival in NZ. Just hope the fitted for but not with excuse doesn’t apply to Aotearoa
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Post by pepe on Mar 9, 2020 10:45:20 GMT 12
Nice update article. Nothing, unless I missed it, about the self defence weapons. It would have been nice to have the Phalanx system tested and the mini typhoons. Also nothing about helo operations testing although I suppose that will have to wait until arrival in NZ. Just hope the fitted for but not with excuse doesn’t apply to Aotearoa HMNZS Aotearoa will be "fitted for, but not with" the armaments you refer to. Refer to page 4 of this reply from the NZDF to an Official Information Request: fyi.org.nz/request/5732/response/19648/attach/3/OIA%202017%202724%20Liam%20Stoneley%20ships%20in%20the%20RNZN%20signed.pdfI would not expect to see anything more than a 2-3 flex mounted 12.7mm HMG's onboard for the foreseeable future.
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dgd911
Flying Officer
Posts: 56
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Post by dgd911 on Mar 10, 2020 7:54:11 GMT 12
I would not expect to see anything more than a 2-3 flex mounted 12.7mm HMG's onboard for the foreseeable future. Wow! A trio of the ubiquitous 12.7 HMGs. That will definitely protect Aotearoa from asymmetric threats especially belligerents in canoes, punts and rowboats. Might even do so against slow jet skis and pondering motorboats. its nice to know our navy takes self defence seriously.
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chasper
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by chasper on Mar 10, 2020 15:54:46 GMT 12
One thing that seemed a bit odd is that the builder is delivering the vessel to Auckland. I cannot recall a navy vessel ever having this done. I thought that they used the delivery voyage as a shakedown/training voyage. Is this standard? And as for the lack of weaponry.....this seems to be our modern military.
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Post by nighthawknz on Mar 10, 2020 15:57:20 GMT 12
I would not expect to see anything more than a 2-3 flex mounted 12.7mm HMG's onboard for the foreseeable future. Wow! A trio of the ubiquitous 12.7 HMGs. That will definitely protect Aotearoa from asymmetric threats especially belligerents in canoes, punts and rowboats. Might even do so against slow jet skis and pondering motorboats. its nice to know our navy takes self defence seriously. blame government not navy... On this I believe it would be gubberment cuts... as I am pretty sure no sailor would say; "oh it is fine to take away our ship defences... just make sure you put them back when we need them... even though that could be anywhere at any time at any port we visit around the world... you know it's fine..." Yeah pretty that's what they are saying... lol How can the crew learn the equipment if they don't get to use it, ie, using it and learning firing arcs, maintenance and familiarisation and the like while they can learn some of it on the frigates... but some of the younger crew may come straight out of training. And also if you are not doing it all the time it is easy to forget and that is for the older crew. The other question I have is adding an extra 6.5 tons of the CWIS Phalanx (plus 12 full 20ft containers) must effect the performance and weight distribution ... would have thought (to be honest) that they would want to know this during sea trials??? I suppose redistribution of the tanks would help etc... but still...?
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Post by pepe on Mar 10, 2020 20:43:09 GMT 12
With all due respect the CIWS and Typhoon systems are not new to the RNZN. The ship has been designed and "fitted for" these "remote" weapons systems so any installation would have such technical considerations as firings arcs already calculated. The personnel who would operate these systems (Combat System Specialists) already have the familiarisation you refer to. I don't believe the lack of an installed CIWS (and containers) would adversely affect sea trials given the ability to utilize the ballast system as detailed in the Navy Today article.
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Post by gibbo on Mar 10, 2020 21:06:20 GMT 12
With all due respect the CIWS and Typhoon systems are not new to the RNZN. The ship has been designed and "fitted for" these "remote" weapons systems so any installation would have such technical considerations as firings arcs already calculated. The personnel who would operate these systems (Combat System Specialists) already have the familiarisation you refer to. I don't believe the lack of an installed CIWS (and containers) would adversely affect sea trials given the ability to utilize the ballast system as detailed in the Navy Today article. True they're not new but still agree the systems need to be fitted & exercised with. There is an aerial shot of Aotearoa tied-up in the yard and there is clearly a fitting of some sort that would appear to be a base plate for the CIWS... it's certainly on the right spot for the CIWS. So long as RNZN actively swaps the 2 x CIWS & 4 x mini-typhoon systems (from the ANZACs) between the 3 vessels (ANZACs & A11) based on deployment & maintenance cycles then I would be comfortable. The thing is those systems also need maintenance cycles as well though. Will there in fact even be any manually operated HMGs on board? That's something RNZN could easily do as a 'mini-project' with a small budget!
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dgd911
Flying Officer
Posts: 56
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Post by dgd911 on Mar 11, 2020 12:19:42 GMT 12
Sounds ok if it’s just a matter of undoing some mounting bolts connecting up AC/DC power connectors and maybe a water cooling supply for the Phalanx. But that’s highly unlikely as the Phalanx is unlikely to be 100% autonomously operated, more likely its sensors will be routed back to a combat specialist’s display on bridge or CIC. Then the mini typhoons, although just 50cal HMGs, they also have integral sensors that allow remote operator control from CIC. Both of these self defence systems may even be integrated into other ships sensors. Will this mean that ‘fitted for but not with’ will mean all the back end operator controls/displays etc and all electronics to integrate to ships existing sensors/radars etc are also not fitted? Thereby making a quick swappable exercise of just moving the actual gun mounts completely pointless? if in fact Aotearoa will be fitted with all the back end systems and is just missing the actual guns and mountings then doesn’t swapping guns from a frigate mean the frigate is left largely defensless AFA asymmetric threats are concerned? Or perhaps we envisage reality where we never have Aotearoa and the two frigates on active service at same time? (Crew shortages, ship servicing etc). wouldnt it just be cheaper to spend the $12m or so on a new Mk15 B1B Phalanx and ammo supply plus two mini typhoon mountings and sensors and fit them to Aotearoa?
Could we save the expense of the two mini typhoons and instead install two of those MSI 25mm naval cannons and mounts plus their back end controls/displays that were removed from the two OPVs?
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dgd911
Flying Officer
Posts: 56
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Post by dgd911 on Mar 11, 2020 13:28:05 GMT 12
...and the $ saved on buying two mini typhoon systems could used to add a couple of five-pod martlet launchers and stock of martlet missiles. These launchers can be attached to one of the fork tines of the MSI mounting. Now that would give Aotearoa some decent self defence systems to deal with small fast surface threats 🙂
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Post by joey05 on Mar 11, 2020 16:52:22 GMT 12
I wonder if this is a PR thing, Government doesn't like to been seen buying guns, so orders new ships without them. Then after delivery the Navy quietly acquires and installs them without any song or dance keeping the greenies out of the loop?
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Post by 30sqnatc on Mar 11, 2020 18:18:57 GMT 12
I wonder if this is a PR thing, Government doesn't like to been seen buying guns, so orders new ships without them. Then after delivery the Navy quietly acquires and installs them without any song or dance keeping the greenies out of the loop? Could it be we buy ships from ship makers while we buy guns from gunmakers, one is a commercial purchase the other requires nation to nation approval.
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Post by nighthawknz on Apr 14, 2020 20:38:39 GMT 12
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Post by ErrolC on May 13, 2020 8:01:59 GMT 12
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Post by kiwiruna on May 13, 2020 18:44:35 GMT 12
Beaten to the punch again. Looking forward to seeing this in real life,the Navy often Park their boats overnight or do drills off Whangaparaoa so hopefully this will also pop by when it gets here. In the meantime perhaps the crew could see if they could strategically relocate anything left lying around unused and or unguarded.
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Post by novascotiaboy on May 14, 2020 12:56:58 GMT 12
Has anyone else noted the number of shipping containers able to be carried has increased from the original 12 to 22 now? Both the Stuff article and the official fact sheet reference 22 containers.
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Post by 30sqnatc on May 14, 2020 17:29:49 GMT 12
Shhh. Thats the crews christmas shopping.
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Post by ErrolC on May 14, 2020 17:41:52 GMT 12
Has anyone else noted the number of shipping containers able to be carried has increased from the original 12 to 22 now? Both the Stuff article and the official fact sheet reference 22 containers. Well someone realised that we have 10' ones in NZ?
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