A huge new Navy ship, HMNZS Aotearoa

[kiwiruna]

This may be a dumb question but in Nighthawknz latest photograph what is the purpose of structure with the windows directly below the bridge?

[novascotiaboy]

That would be the RAS control station.

[Mustang51]

Ahhhhh...... the old RAS control station.......

[Mustang51]

Aviation and the military are full of TLAs and FLAs......

[Dave Homewood]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about....

[zaphod42]

RAS = Replenishment At Sea, From the control station a watchful eye is kept on proceedings and control of the winches for the deployment of the refuelling hoses and control of the fuel pumps is also done from there. I "drove" the winches on her predecessor HMNZS Endeavour on 99 occasions

[davidd]

Ah, a perfectly justifiable abbreviation which says it all - briefly, as abbreviations should. One worth remembering I would say.
David D

[antonio22nz]

Mar 10, 2020 7:54:11 GMT 12 dgd911 said:

Mar 9, 2020 10:45:20 GMT 12 pepe said:

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.

It will have 20mm phalanx gatling gun on the bow

[antonio22nz]

Feb 13, 2020 20:37:40 GMT 12 nighthawknz said:

Feb 13, 2020 19:56:21 GMT 12 Hoffy said:

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...

[b

Watch this space. In a few years the rnzn will decide what to replace the anzac frigates with. They might go with the type 26 frigate that is entering service with rn ran and rcn its a lot larger than an anzac frigate

[nighthawknz]

Jun 3, 2020 23:07:10 GMT 12 antonio22nz said:

Mar 10, 2020 7:54:11 GMT 12 dgd911 said:

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.

It will have 20mm phalanx gatling gun on the bow

Fitted for but not with...

[nighthawknz]

Jun 3, 2020 23:09:47 GMT 12 antonio22nz said:

Watch this space. In a few years the rnzn will decide what to replace the anzac frigates with. They might go with the type 26 frigate that is entering service with rn ran and rcn its a lot larger than an anzac frigate

While it would be nice, to go with the type 26, however, I can't see it happening... if they did it would just the hull... they may go for the arrowhead 140 frigate which is still larger than the anzac's but more of general purpose frigate and a lot cheaper... 

however this is the thread for the frigates... so back to Aotearoa

She is due in New Zealand soon... but Delayed a little due to Covid-19

[30sqnatc]

May 15, 2017 15:27:07 GMT 12 frankly said:

May 14, 2017 18:17:08 GMT 12 macnz said:

166 m-long, 24,000 tonne, 1 VIP?

VIP typically means a cabin of the same standard as the CO - i.e what you'd expect a LTCOL(E) to stay in. 
SaveSave

Oh silly me There was I thinking it was a suite for a Vertically Inserted Pilot just so the ship could be shown in the Fleet Guidebook as having 5 star accomodation to attract passing helo pilots to visit and bring vertical inserted stores

[nighthawknz]

New Zealand's Largest Ever Naval Vessel Delivered in S. Korea
New Zealand Navy's largest ever ship Aotearoa, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, is on its way to New Zealand, after Hyundai held a departure ceremony in its shipyard in South Korea on Wednesday.

Ordered in 2016, the $493 million Aotearoa is an Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) vessel that will be used to support Royal New Zealand Navy’s combat operations, humanitarian relief functions, and operational and training support.

The vessel is built according to the Rolls-Royce Environship concept design, with a wave-piercing bow which reduces resistance and lowers fuel burn.





It is ice-strengthened to Polar Class level 6 for Southern Ocean monitoring and Antarctic operations including the resupply of McMurdo Station and Scott Base.

The 173 meters long Aotearoa will provide global sustainment to New Zealand and coalition maritime, land and air units, and United Nations security operations through resupply of ship and aviation fuel, dry goods, water, spare parts, and ammunition.

www.marinelink.com/news/new-zealands-largest-ever-naval-vessel-479213



Not long now...

[machina]

When is she due here?

[nighthawknz]

Yesterday the NZDF announced the Royal New Zealand Navy was holding a practice exercise over the weekend at Kauri Point, near the Auckland Harbour bridge.

In its original post, the exercise was described as containing "pyrotechnics, blank ammunition firing, drones, actors simulating a crowd of protestors and interaction with Fire and Emergency NZ".

It comes amid widespread protests in the US as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is against police brutality unproportionately targeting black people.

Several of those protests have turned violent, with police using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against the crowds.

The NZDF's post has since been deleted and a clarification posted, but rumours and accusations have continued to fly.

Yesterday the NZDF announced the Royal New Zealand Navy was holding a practice exercise over the weekend at Kauri Point, near the Auckland Harbour bridge.

In its original post, the exercise was described as containing "pyrotechnics, blank ammunition firing, drones, actors simulating a crowd of protestors and interaction with Fire and Emergency NZ".

It comes amid widespread protests in the US as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is against police brutality unproportionately targeting black people.

Several of those protests have turned violent, with police using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against the crowds.

The NZDF's post has since been deleted and a clarification posted, but rumours and accusations have continued to fly.

Auckland Peace Action accused the Navy of "practising killing protestors", calling for the exercise to be canned.

"We are disappointed, disturbed and disgusted that the Royal New Zealand Navy is practising killing protestors. Is this what people believe a democratic society does? Is killing protesters the role of the Defence Force? Who or what are they defending, if they are killing people exercising democracy?" the group said in a fiery press release this morning.

"It is illegitimate for the Navy to do these practices. This is not the role of the Defence Force and we call upon them to halt these exercises and strongly reconsider their role."

However the NZDF has fired back, saying Auckland Peace Action's statement "appears to be based on a misunderstanding of the exercise".

"To suggest that the Royal New Zealand Navy is practising 'killing protestors', in the words of Auckland Peace Action, is both absurd and abhorrent," an NZDF spokesperson told 1 NEWS.

"This exercise taking place in Kauri Point is both routine and long-planned and entirely unconnected with protest events taking place around the world.

"The exercise, which we have publicised, is part of routine HMNZS Otago preparation for operational activities.

"The scenario is set in a fictitious overseas location; i.e. not New Zealand."

The "protestors" are people with "a hostile intent towards the ship and crew", the spokesperson says.

"This particular exercise would prepare the ship and crew for docking in a country where unrest is occurring, and where the vessel may be evacuating civilians, refuelling and resupplying, or taking part in security operations."

The training exercise will be taking place from Friday to Monday this weekend, during the daytime over several days, the NZDF says.

"As is the practice of the NZDF, the Royal New Zealand Navy gave notice of it through both traditional and social media in order to avoid alarming the community, who may hear loud noises."

Auckland Peace Action's Eliana Darroch isn't satisfied by the NZDF response, saying she finds it "concerning".

"Since they have changed their story, are they calling people with hostile intentions 'protestors'?" she says.

"We think this sends a dangerous message that using force on unarmed people could ever be acceptable.

"If NZDF are invading a country where the civilians there do not support the invasion, then the Navy is being hostile. Not the other way around. It is the violence that the Navy is performing, which threatens peace."

Ms Darroch says it's "irrelevant" that the event was planned.

www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/absurd-and-abhorrent-nzdf-denies-claims-training-exercise-practising-killing-protestors

Can I just LOL at this, our defence force has to actually deny it... I mean what the actual...

[johnnyfalcon]

WTF...!!!

Holy crap there are some nutters out there, and the worrying thing is, others listen to and believe them...

[ErrolC]

Very proud to see 🇳🇿 @nznavy's largest ever ship, HMNZS Aotearoa leave Ulsan on its maiden voyage to Auckland yesterday. 🇰🇷@rok_Navy escorted Aotearoa out to sea - a great gesture.

[nighthawknz]

I beileve that Hyundai Heavy Industries, along with afew RNZN personal are bringing her to Aotearoa home. 

[johnnyfalcon]

Cool looking vessel!

[ErrolC]

Haere Mai Aotearoa. Our newest and largest-ever ship will sail into Auckland on Friday 26 June. We’d like you to join us in welcoming Aotearoa home to New Zealand. Learn more here ➡️ bit.ly/welcome-aotearoa #NZNavy #Force4NZ