She embarked for the East Indies and China in March 1842. She served some time in China (losing her original commanding officer) before being ordered to New Zealand in September 1845. She was damaged by a storm en route, necessitating repairs to her engine and boiler and other parts of the ship.[3]
During her circumnavigation Driver became the first steamship to visit New Zealand, arriving on 20 January 1846,[5] and was involved in the Hutt Valley Campaign, which was part of the New Zealand Wars. At the time of her visit she was described as a brig-rigged 6-gun warship displacing 1,058 tons with engines rated 280 horsepower.[6]
Driver set off east from New Zealand for her return journey to England via Cape Horn on 28 January 1847. She stopped for six days in Argentina to pick up more coal, finally arriving in Portsmouth, England on Friday 14 May 1847, 105 days after starting from New Zealand. Of the ship’s original officers, the second in command Lieutenant Thomas Kisbee, the master, purser, surgeon and assistant surgeon completed the entire circumnavigation.
USS Wichita, a unique 8 in ‘heavy’ variant of the Brooklyn class light cruisers: she saw distinguished WW2 service, including in 1942 as an Arctic convoy escort (notably to the ill fated PQ17) and at the Operation Torch landings in North Africa; thereafter in the Pacific, notably at the battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.
January 1945: the USS Segundo is shown in a sub nest at Guam in between her second and third war patrols. She appears bottom left of this photo with the hull number 398 painted on her bow.
A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 7, 2024, in support of a bomber task force mission. The aircraft and crew are deployed from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. (Capt. Stephen J. Collier/Air Force)
A single-engine fire forced a B-52H Stratofortress bomber to make an emergency landing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, early Feb. 23, the service confirmed Tuesday.
No airmen were injured in the incident, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local time. Minot firefighters extinguished the flames on base.
Australia’s Hobart-class destroyers are to receive upgrades at the Osborne Naval Shipyard. (Gordon Arthur/Staff)
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Royal Australian Navy will have its largest fleet since the end of World War II if it implements recommendations from a new independent review of its surface combat ships.
The government’s “Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet” review, released Feb. 20, advocates for a flotilla of 26 warships, more than double the 11 hulls the service currently possesses. The government has accepted the recommendations except for one regarding the continuation of an upgrade for aging Anzac-class frigates.
“The size, lethality and capabilities of the future surface combatant fleet ensures that our Navy is equipped to meet the evolving strategic challenges of our region,” Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond said in a statement following the report’s unveiling.
Jennifer Parker, an expert associate at the National Security College within the Australian National University, told Defense News the force could achieve its new goal, even if “plans of this magnitude are going to have challenges.”
The plan
To supplement its forthcoming nuclear-powered submarines, to be acquired under the AUKUS agreement with the U.K. and U.S., the future surface combatant fleet will feature nine so-called tier 1 destroyers and frigates, 11 smaller tier 2 frigates, and six optionally manned vessels.
Tier 1 vessels will comprise three existing Hobart-class air warfare destroyers — to receive an upgrade to the Aegis combat system and the installation of Tomahawk missiles — and six new Hunter-class anti-submarine frigates. BAE Systems was originally supposed to produce nine frigates, with the first to be commissioned in 2034.
Parker, a former naval officer, said the most significant problem for the service is a looming capability gap, as the first-of-class Anzac frigate will not sail again, and a second is set to retire in 2026, meaning the Navy will have nine total warships by the end of this decade.
Australia plans to retire two Anzac-class frigates by 2026, leaving six in service until supplemented by the first new general-purpose frigate in 2030. (Gordon Arthur/Staff)
“Most predict an increased period of risk in the late 2020s, and that is where Australia has the capability gap,” Parker said, noting the the service should consider how to maximize its remaining capability and operational availability during this time.
With this pending shortfall, the review recommended commissioning 11 general-purpose frigates at least the size of the Anzacs to “provide maritime and land strike, air defence and escort capabilities,” the government explained in a summary of the report.
Australia plans to procure the first three frigates from overseas, with the remainder constructed in Henderson, Western Australia. The Navy has narrowed contenders to Germany’s MEKO A-200, Japan’s Mogami class, South Korea’s FFX Batch II/III, and Spain’s Alfa 3000. The government will make a selection next year, with the first delivery scheduled in 2030.
The planned six large optionally crewed surface vessels are based on an American design and feature 32 missile cells. Built in Henderson and destined to enter service from the mid-2030s, Parker said these are not traditional surface combatants because “their role will be to extend the magazine capability” of other ships.
Although Defence Minister Richard Marles said they would be crewed, Parker predicted they could end up as unmanned platforms.
“There are legal issues with lethal autonomous weapons and operating uncrewed surface vessels, so until those legal issues are overcome, the Australian government wasn’t about to announce that we’re going to have some sort of floating magazine that can launch missiles,” she said.
Apart from surface combatants, the review proposed a fleet of 25 “minor war vessels” for constabulary tasks. These include six Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels, or OPV, slashed from the original 12 that Luerssen Australia is constructing.
“The OPV is an inefficient use of resources for civil maritime security operations and does not possess the survivability and self-defence systems to contribute to a surface combatant mission,” the review stated.
The money
Marles said the entire plan is “fully funded” thanks to an additional AU$11.1 billion (U.S. $7.3 billion) allocated over the next decade, including AU$1.7 billion (U.S. $1.1 billion) in the next four years.
Parker said this amount is “probably feasible,” but added that the Treasury plans to only increase defense spending from 2027 to 2028. “I don’t know how they’re going to be able to resource those things without increasing defense spending in May,” she explained.
But even with the budget allocation, it doesn’t mean the Defence Department can spend that money, she said.
“They still need to go through the approval processes for that specific project,” she added. “I think the challenge is they need to convince the Australian public that defense requires increased spending.
Marles had promised defense expenditure would move from an anticipated 2.1% of gross domestic product by 2030 to 2.4% by that time, but Parker said that is insufficient to fund so many naval acquisitions.
The people
Amid the plans for new construction, a new shipbuilding plan is due later this year.
Parker noted many questions remain over that sector’s workforce, but a nationwide approach addressing education, migration and infrastructure factors would help.
But another challenge is crewing. The Defence Department planned to raise the number of military members by 2,201 in the 2022-2023 time frame, but instead it suffered a net loss of 1,389 uniformed personnel.
Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.
The MPSS 7000 is 107 x 20 metres. It is foreseen that it will be operated by a crew of 48 personnel, with additional facilities for up to 100 special personnel and extra, temporary, accommodation for 42 persons, for example in the event of a disaster relief operation. The MPSS 9000 is 130x 20 meters and is able to conduct even more operations.
The MPSS has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.
Damen
While the electrical, communication and navigation equipment installed on the MPSS will be military class equipment, the vessel will also use commercial off the shelf technology. This includes, for example, the mission specific equipment modules, by which the vessel achieves its multi-functional capability.
In this way, when not required to perform its primary function, the MPSS can be applied to a wide range of duties including managing drones (air, sea, and sub-sea), conducting amphibious support, emergency/disaster relief, search & rescue, diving support, performing submarine rescue operations and helicopter operations.
Damen
“The MPSS range is a response to the increasing use of drone technology that we see in modern combat and surveillance situations. We could see that such capabilities would be of growing importance for countries looking to sustain their sovereignty,”Piet van Rooij, Commercial Manager of Damen’s Defence and Security department, said.
“At the same time, this is a multi-purpose vessel that can be applied to wide range of additional operations…This theme is further developed using commercial off the shelf technology, which ensure the cost-effective construction of a reliable platform. We’re very much looking forward to showcasing this new vessel, including at exhibitions, in the coming months.”
Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.
German Navy frigate “Hessen” at berth in Souda, Crete, before her departure for the Red Sea. Image Bundeswehr.
German Navy Frigate ‘Hessen’ Arrives In Red Sea, Joins EUNAVFOR Aspides
German AAW frigate will commence operations protecting shipping in the Red Sea against Houthi attacks, among new reports and speculations over the type’s missile capability at home.
The German Navy F124 Sachsen-class frigate F221 Hessen has arrived in the Red Sea after passing through the Suez Canal on February 24, 2024, as Bundeswehrannounced via social media site “X”, formerly Twitter, on February 25, 2024. The ship will now join the EU-organized operation “Aspides”. The EU-mission intends to protect shipping in the Red Sea against missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi military forces.
EU and German mandates differ for Aspides
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visited “Hessen” in Crete with the Chair of the Defence Committee Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. Image Bundeswehr.
The mandate of “Aspides” is to “provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea.“. The approved region of operation will be “the main sea lines of communication in the Baab al-Mandab Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the (Persian) Gulf.“. Notably EUNAVFOR Aspides does not envisage strikes against land-based targets. The mandate for the German contribution approved by the Bundestag with a significant majority imposes an additional restriction by prohibiting operations north of Oman’s capital of Muscat. Therefore the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf are excluded from German operations.
Hessen had set sail from Wilhelmshaven on February 8. The frigate arrived in Crete in anticipation of formal approval for EUNAVFOR Aspides from both the EU and the German parliament. She then departed Souda for the Suez Canal on February 21. The ship has embarked 240 personnel including additional medical and naval infantry troops for the mission. The Bundestag-mandated upper personnel ceiling for the operation is 700 personnel. This should allow some leverage for increased contributions and other leverage, such as for logistics support. Hessen will operate with “Aspides” until the end of April. Succeeding units are expected to stay in theatre for up to four months. The current mandate is valid until February 28, 2025.
“Hessen” departing Souda Bay and passing the German MCM boat “Groemitz”, before heading to Port Said. Image Bundeswehr.
Uncertainty over SM-2 interceptor supplies for German frigates
While Hessen got underway, German media reporting also focused on the F124 AAW-frigates, described as the “gold standard” of German naval capability by Bundeswehr officials. In a response to a member of parliament the German Ministry of Defence (BMVg) revealed that the SM-2 Blk IIIA used by Hessen and her sister ships “are out of production“. The most recent order for this missile type for foreign customers via Foreign Military Sales (FMS) dates to 2021. If the revelations are accurate, it implies all Sachsen-class frigates will have to undergo modernization of their combat management system and possibly also hardware upgrades in order to use the newer SM-2 Block IIIC now in low rate initial production. Details on the exact technical issues remain obscure.
The impact of this possible problem on current operations is also not immediately clear. The German Navy as a matter of principle does not comment on weapons loadouts of deployed combatants. Nor does the BMVg provide public insight into existing ordnance stockpiles including SM-2 missiles. Bundeswehr continues to struggle with widely reported shortages of ammunition across all services. Navy Chief Vice Admiral Jan-Christian Kaack repeatedly stressed the importance of ammunition stockpiles since assuming office in March 2022.
Ongoing modernization and readiness challenges for F124-fleet
Frigate “Sachsen” receiving new cells for her Mk 41 in 2023. The Mk 41 in question is the “Strike Length”-variant. Image Bundeswehr via “Presseportal.de”.
The first of class F219 Sachsen had only in December 2023 received a new Mk 41 VLS. The system replaced the previous launcher after suffering damage from a failed SM-2 launch in 2019 off Norway. The replacement experienced considerable delay, resulting in Sachsen operating for five years without her principal weapon system. The hold-up arose both over Germany having to order a bespoke new Mk 41 launcher via FMS and then deferring installation until Sachsen was due for a regular maintenance interval.
Prior to “Aspides” all Sachsen-class frigates were already scheduled to undergo a significant “midlife update”. The contracted work will enable the F124-design to perform detection and tracking, but not direct interception, of ballistic missiles. Related work will integrate new TRS-4D/LR ROT radar sets and updates to the combat management system. The effort will commence this year and conclude in 2028. How the Red Sea-deployment affects this schedule, and specifically work for Hessen is unclear at the present time.
After more than two decades of meticulous restoration, an example of Lockheed’s rare 1930s airliner has taken to Kiwi skies. Owner Rob Mackley accompanied test pilot Ryan Southam and engineer Huib Volker of restorers Hawk Aero on the test flight of his Lockheed 10A Electra ZK-AFD (c/n 1145) from Ardmore Airport near Auckland, the flight marking the culmination of nearly 27 years of work.
The type played a key role in developing New Zealand’s “main trunk” airline routes with seven examples serving initially with Union Airways from 1937 and then the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NZNAC) from 1947, until the five surviving airframes were replaced by the Douglas DC-3 in 1950. It’s believed only one other example of the Lockheed 10 is currently flying worldwide, this being Točná Airport’s L10A OK-CTB (s/n 1091).
The Electra’s twin Pratt & Whitney R-985s come to life. The aircraft is named Kuaka in tribute to an aircraft flown by Bill Mackley, owner Rob Mackley’s father. [Photo by Ruth Christie]
The Electra wears the colors of Union Airways of New Zealand on the port side of the fuselage and is named Kuaka (the Māori name for the bar-tailed godwit), replicating c/n 1045, the fuselage of which is stored at the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland (incidentally another Electra – c/n 1138 ZK-BUT – is also painted as ZK-AFD and on public display at MOTAT.)
Rob Mackley’s Electra wears its original Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile markings on one side as seen in this photo taken at Ardmore Airport on December 6th, 2022. [Photo by Richard Currie]
As a nod to the history of Mackley’s airframe, the starboard side of the fuselage is painted in the markings of Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile. Built in 1941 for LAN, the aircraft flew more than 11000hr for the Chilean carrier and during its time in South America the aircraft wore several different registrations including CC-226 with the name Diego de Almagro, CC-LCN and CC-CLEA. The aircraft was sold to U.S. interests in 1959, receiving the registration N10310 and flying to Oregon before eventually ending up in Alaska. The Electra was later impounded for unpaid parking fees and was a museum display before being acquired by Mackley in 1997, when it was shipped to New Zealand for airworthy restoration.
Electra ZK-AFD taxis back in from Ardmore’s runway after the successful first post-restoration flight on January 31st, 2024. [Photo by Ruth Christie]
The half-and-half colour scheme on the now-completed aircraft was done as a tribute to Mackley’s father Bill who flew Electras for NZNAC after WW2. The restoration had involved several companies and individuals over the years, Mackley told Vintage Aviation News. “Restoration was started in Rotorua when Wal Delholm and his dad Colin of Avspecs, who worked on the NZNAC Lockheed 10A ZK-AFD after it slid up Flagstaff Hill [in 1943],” Mackley said. “They did the centre section during the early 2000s. Pioneer Aero Ltd re-skinned the outer wings and that is where Huib Volker used to work. Huib did 90% of the restoration with the help of the late Keith Williamson.“ The Electra will eventually join Mackley’s other aircraft, including a Boeing-Stearman A75N1 and a Cessna O-1G Bird Dog, at Omaka Aerodrome near Blenheim in NZ’s South Island.
DH Mosquito T.43 NZ2308/ZK-PWL about to start its two Rolls-Royce Merlins for the first time in nearly 70 years. [Screenshot from Avspecs Ltd video on Facebook]
The ex-RNZAF de Havilland DH98 Mosquito NZ2308, under long-term rebuild at Avspecs Ltd at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, New Zealand, edged a step closer to flight today. Maintenance staff fueled her tanks for the first time on February 23rd, 2024 and then conducted the aircraft’s first engine runs in almost 70 years. As is common with all airworthy restorations, it usually takes a fair bit of time from the first engine runs to the first flights, but it is a major milestone on NZ2308’s journey back into the air. However, it seems likely that we can now measure the time to that happy day in weeks, rather than months, or years.
Exciting times as the Avcpecs team fired up NZ2308’s Rolls-Royce Merlin’s for the first time! [Screenshot from Avspecs Ltd video on Facebook]
On Sunday, February 19th, 2024 (as reported by Vintage Aviation News) Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow announced that one of the world’s most iconic WWII fighter-bomber aircraft will take part in its Easter 2024 airshow. Mosquito NZ2308 is now weeks away from the end of a fifteen-year restoration in Auckland and the American owners have generously agreed to allow the aircraft to fly at the Southern Hemisphere’s largest warbirds airshow before it is dismantled and shipped to its new home in the US.
An overview of the Mosquito in the Avspecs hangar. [Photo via Warbirds Over Wanaka]
The history of this Mosquito T.43 was detailed in a report by Dave Homewood for Vintage Aviation News late last year, but in brief it was originally built in Australia for the RAAF and later sold to the RNZAF where it served with 75 Squadron as NZ2308/YC-Z, these markings now replicated on the restored aircraft. In recognition of the late Glyn Powell, the mastermind behind the New Zealand Mosquito restoration projects which had their genesis in NZ2308 – Powell’s own personal project – the aircraft now has the civil registration ZK-PWL.
An air-to-air photo of NZ2308 flying with 75 Squadron RNZAF in the early 1950s. [Photo via the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.]
The aircraft will be test-flown at Ardmore and then displayed at Wanaka by accomplished American pilot Steve Hinton. Steve, a former Reno air race champion, has flown numerous warbird types including the last Mosquito from the Avspecs’ workshop (Charles Somers’ FB.VI NZ2384/N474PZ), and is currently President of the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino in California.
Virginia class submarine USS Texas. (Picture source: US DoD)
Dry docking is a necessary part of submarine maintenance, allowing for inspections and repairs that cannot be performed while the vessel is waterborne. This includes hull preservation, propeller work, and other underbody maintenance tasks. Dry docking periods are planned well in advance due to their complexity and the need for specialized facilities.
Submarine maintenance
Maintaining submarines is inherently intricate, expensive, and essential for naval operations, ensuring these vital assets are ready, safe, and capable of performing their duties. This process involves a wide range of tasks from simple checks and fixes to comprehensive upgrades and refurbishments.
Submarine maintenance presents various challenges, including the complexity and need for specialized knowledge due to the sophisticated nature of these vessels. They demand a workforce endowed with exceptional skills and training for upkeep and restoration.
The procurement of necessary parts poses a significant hurdle, with the Navy grappling with the daunting task of acquiring both minor and major components essential for maintenance. This difficulty is exacerbated by supply chain complexities and the obsolescence of certain parts.
The antiquated state of shipyard infrastructure, with some facilities dating back to before World War II, poses another significant barrier to efficient maintenance. Modernization efforts, such as the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, are critical to enhancing maintenance efficiency. Furthermore, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce is a challenge, though steps to improve employment incentives are being taken.
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![The culmination of nearly 27 years work as Electra ZK-AFD reaches takeoff speed for the first post-restoration flight. [Photo by Ruth Christie]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/ZK-AFD-20240131-Ardmore-Ruth-Christie-05-678x381.jpg?resize=678%2C381&ssl=1 "ZK-AFD 20240131 Ardmore Ruth Christie 05")
![The Electra's Pratt & Whitney R-985s come to life. The aircraft is named Kuaka in tribute to an aircraft flown by Bill Mackley, owner Rob Mackley's father. [Photo by Ruth Christie]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/ZK-AFD-20240131-Ardmore-Ruth-Christie-04-1024x683.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
![Rob Mackley's Electra wears its original Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile markings on one side as seen in this photo taken at Ardmore Airport on December 6th, 2022. [Photo by Richard Currie]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/ZK-AFD-20221206-Ardmore-Richard-Currie-02-1024x683.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
![Electra ZK-AFD taxis back in from Ardmore's runway after the successful first post-restoration flight on January 31st, 2024. [Photo by Ruth Christie]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/ZK-AFD-20240131-Ardmore-Ruth-Christie-02-1024x520.jpg?resize=1024%2C520&ssl=1)
![DH Mosquito T.43 NZ2308/ZK-PWL about to start its two Rolls-Royce Merlins for the first time in nearly 70 years. [Screenshot from Avspecs Ltd video on Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Ex-RNZAF-de-Havilland-DH98-Mosquito-NZ2308-Firs-Engine-Runs-in-New-Zealand-678x381.png?resize=678%2C381&ssl=1 "-Ex- RNZAF de Havilland DH98 Mosquito NZ2308 Firs Engine Runs in New Zealand")
![Graham Bethell's P-51D Mustang ZK-TAF performing at Wanaka. [Photo via Warbirds Over Wanaka]](https://i0.wp.com/vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/P-51D-ZK-TAF-via-Warbirds-Over-Wanaka-01-326x245.jpg?resize=326%2C245&ssl=1)
Virginia class submarine USS Texas. (Picture source: US DoD)