Tag: RNZN

Ships converge for Talisman Sabre 2019

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July 11, 2019 – Seventeen ships from the United States, Australia, Canada and Japan sailed together in formation for a massive photo exercise July 10, to signify the beginning of naval maneuvers as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. This year’s Talisman Sabre is focused on defending the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea, air, space and cyberspace guaranteed to all nations under international law and considered essential to prosperity, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. “Interoperability and working alongside allies and partners really is the future, particularly…

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Fleet Sails for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019

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July 10, 2019 – Australian, United States, Japanese and New Zealand naval vessels have sailed for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019 following an opening ceremony in Brisbane this week. The ceremony, held in the Port of Brisbane on the US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, formally launched Australia’s largest bilateral exercise with the United States of America. Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds, CSC, said the exercise was designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the Australian and United States Armed Forces. “This premier military engagement…

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Kiwi Sailors Return from HMAS Canberra Deployment

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June 9, 2019 – A small contingent of Royal New Zealand Navy officers and sailors returned home after spending almost three months deployed in HMAS Canberra as part of INDO-PACIFIC ENDEAVOUR 2019. Lieutenant Matthew Gajzago, the senior RNZN officer deployed in HMAS Canberra, said it was an amazing opportunity to further build on the already strong ties between Australia and New Zealand. “It’s always really great integrating, networking and forming new friendships with Aussies,” Lieutenant Gajzago said. “This trip has given us a great opportunity to gain more experience in…

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Prime Minister ‘Sponsors’ New Navy Ship

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May 8, 2019 – When the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new diving support and hydrographic survey vessel is formally commissioned early next month, it will be Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who will be announcing, “I name this ship Manawanui”. A bottle of wine will be broken on the bow and the baptism of the latest addition to the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) fleet will be complete, continuing the centuries-old tradition of sponsorship of navy ships. Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor was delighted Ardern had accepted the invitation…

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Death of RNZN Sailor

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March 27, 2019 – The New Zealand Defence Force is saddened to confirm that Able Communications Technician Zachary Christopher Yarwood (23) died in North Shore Hospital yesterday following an incident during a dive training exercise on Monday night at the Devonport Naval Base. Able Communications Technician Yarwood joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2013 and served in HMNZS Te Kaha and Philomel. At the time of the incident, he was on an advanced diver training course, looking to join HMNZS Matataua as a qualified diver. “My condolences are with…

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Navy Officer Gets Experience on American Icebreaker to Antarctica

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February 22, 2019 – Lieutenant Sophie Going joined the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) for travel and adventure and she has found both, travelling to Antarctica recently on an American icebreaker. Lieutenant Going, 26, from Devonport, will be the navigator on the RNZN’s new ship Aotearoa, which is scheduled to enter service in 2020. That ship will travel to Antarctica every two years, so to help prepare Lieutenant Going joined the crew of the United States Coastguard ship Polar Star to experience its icebreaking operation on the month-long voyage. Aotearoa,…

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ANZAC spirit alive and well on OCEAN EXPLORER

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February 25, 2019 – HMAS Success has welcomed eight members of the Royal New Zealand Navy on board for part of the ship’s final deployment before she’s decommissioned in June. The Royal New Zealand Navy contingent, consisting of three officers and five junior sailors, jumped at the chance to sail in Success just a week after the Royal Australian Navy extended an invitation for them to join ‘Battle Tanker’ on her final voyage as a ‘Her Majesty’s Australian Ship’. Prior to sailing, the Kiwi’s relished the chance to get out and about to enjoy the…

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Joint NZDF-MPI Patrols Inspect More Than 70 Vessels

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January 16, 2019 – About 50 commercial fishing vessels were among 74 vessels inspected during joint patrols conducted recently by the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The three-week operation involved Compliance staff from MPI, offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion surveillance aircraft. Simon McDonald, Manager for Fisheries Compliance, Liaison and Coordination at MPI, said the operation targeted both inshore and deep-water fisheries and covered the Chatham Rise, the east coast of the South Island, Taranaki and…

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New Chief of Royal New Zealand Navy Takes Command

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November 29, 2018 – Rear Admiral David Proctor became the first General List officer with a logistics background to be appointed Chief of Navy when he assumed command of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) at Devonport Naval Base today. The Chief of Navy position has typically been a warfare officer role. In a Change of Command ceremony Rear Admiral Proctor, Chief of Navy designate, reported for duty at the main parade ground at Devonport this morning and accepted the challenge from the RNZN Maori Cultural Group, taking the wero…

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Journey to Find New Zealand’s New Dive & Hydrographic Vessek

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In August this year the Minister of Defence announced the purchase of the Norwegian survey vessel Edda Fonn to close the capability gap created with the decommissioning of the survey ship HMNZS Resolution and the dive tender HMNZS Manawanui. This announcement came after eight busy months for the Diving and Hydrographic Vessel (DHV) project team of business case writing and undertaking a robust but rapid selection process that would enable the purchase of a vessel to meet the NZDF requirements within the set budget. The Diving and Hydrographic Vessel (DHV)…

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New Dive and Hydrographic vessel for Royal New Zealand Navy

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August 22, 2018 – The Government has approved the purchase of a dive and hydrographic support vessel for the Royal New Zealand Navy. An 85 metre Norwegian built multi-role offshore support vessel, the MV Edda Fonn, will be purchased to fill an existing capability gap. Following purchase, the Edda Fonn will be outfitted with the dive and hydrographic systems required by the Defence Force, before being delivered to Devonport Naval Base in May 2019. “The MV Edda Fonn will be a great addition to the Navy,” says Defence Minister Ron…

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‘Birth Day’ of New Zealand’s Largest-Ever Navy Ship

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August 14, 2018 – The keel-laying ceremony for the future HMNZS Aotearoa has been held at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The keel laying, marking the official “birth day” of the ship, is an important ceremonial occasion, which has traditionally represented the laying of the initial piece of timber that would make up the ship’s backbone. Aotearoa’s keel laying consisted of more than 500 tonnes of carefully constructed keel blocks being positioned together in the dry dock, where she will continue to expand upwards and outwards…

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Masterton Naval Officer Commands International Fleet

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When he’s not a career naval officer, Captain Blair Gerritsen would describe himself as an enthusiastic mid-handicap golfer and part-time farmer in Masterton. However, this month duty calls as he takes command of a naval Task Group larger than the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) fleet. Captain Gerritsen is the first New Zealander to be assigned the role of Sea Combat Commander (SCC) for one of the two Strike Groups that constitute the two main forces in the world’s largest international maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), taking place…

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