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NZDF prepares for major warfighting exercise in Australia https://ift.tt/ePDnSBw

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel and assets have begun to deploy to one of the largest multi-national military exercises in the world.

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05 June, 2025

Featuring more than 30,000 military personnel and platforms from 19 nations, Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 is being held from 13 July to 4 August across Australia.

Held every two years, the exercise is designed to improve and strengthen interoperability and combat readiness in complex, multi-domain operations.

In preparation for the exercise, close to 35 New Zealand Army vehicles, including Light Armoured Vehicles (NZLAV) and the new Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles, along with 150 personnel, boarded HMNZS Canterbury today, ready for the transit to Queensland.

Once there, the NZ Army combat team will link up with the Australian Army’s 7th Brigade for a preparatory exercise to hone their interoperability in the build up to Talisman Sabre.

They will soon be joined by the frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, three NH90 helicopters, P-8A Poseidon aircraft, mine warfare divers, military police, medics, logistics and others to support a range of intense land, air, and maritime operations alongside key partners.

In total, more than 680 NZDF personnel will deploy on the exercise.

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“Talisman Sabre provides an invaluable opportunity for us to train with some of our closest defence partners in a realistic and demanding environment,” said Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Rob Krushka.

“Exercises like this ensure we remain a credible, capable and combat-ready force, ready to respond to regional and global challenges.”

Participating alongside ally Australia and defence partners including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and others, the NZDF’s involvement reflects New Zealand’s ongoing commitment to collective security, regional stability, and defence cooperation.

“One of our real capabilities is force integration,” Major General Krushka said.

“We have a well-proven ability to seamlessly embed our personnel and platforms into multi-national, multi-domain tactical forces and this exercise gives us another opportunity to demonstrate this.”

Talisman Sabre 25 will incorporate joint training scenarios including amphibious landings, maritime identification and interception, air operations, live-fire exercises, and logistics support across a vast training area in Australia’s Northern Territory and Queensland, and in the Coral Sea.

For the first time, Papua New Guinea will also be hosting an event.

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HMNZS Monowai (A06) was a hydrographic survey vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). https://ift.tt/4net5Mk

HMNZS Monowai

Built in 1960, the ship was originally used as a civilian supply and passenger vessel by the New Zealand Government, under the name GMV Moana Roa, before being acquired by the RNZN in 1977. She remained in RNZN service until 1997, performing various duties such as coastal surveying, resupply, and surveillance. After being decommissioned she was sold to civilian operators in Britain in 1998 for conversion to a cruise ship, but was found unsuitable for the role and eventually sent to Spanish shipbreakers in 2002.
Construction and design
The ship was laid down by Grangemouth Dockyard in Scotland in 1960. The ship displaced 3,900 tons at full load, was 90.8 metres (298 ft) in length overall and 82.3 metres (270 ft) long at the keel, had a beam of 14.1 metres (46 ft) and a draught of 5.2 metres (17 ft). Propulsion machinery consisted of two 7-cylinder two-stroke TAD 36 Clark Sulzer diesels, which provided 3,640 horsepower (2,710 kW) to the CP propellers The ship had a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). In RNZN service, the ship had a crew of 126 and after 1980 was armed with two 20 mm Oerlikons for self-defence. In 1982, she was fitted out to carry a single Wasp helicopter.[citation needed]

Operational history
After being completed, the vessel spent the first part of her operational life as the New Zealand Government Island supply/passenger vessel GMV Moana Roa.

HMNZS Monowai – previously Moana Roa

She was acquired by the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1975 and converted over a two-year period to replace her predecessor, HMNZS Lachlan.[2] Monowai was the second of two ships with this name to serve in the RNZN. She was named after the glacial Lake Monowai. Monowai is a Māori word meaning “channel full of water”.

HMNZS Monowai in Singapore

During her naval service she was known as the “Ghost of the Coast”,[2] as she quietly remapped most of the New Zealand coastline including the Chatham, Campbell, and Auckland Islands, as well as the many sub-Antarctic islands in New Zealand’s responsibility.

HMNZS Monowai with HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu

She also acted as a resupply vessel carrying stores and equipment to Campbell and other sub-Antarctic islands and served as an “official residence” for VIPs and dignitaries at Pacific Island conferences.[citation needed]

Other tasks included monitoring Chinese missile splashdown tests, responding to the 1987 Fijian coups d’état to assist in the evacuation of New Zealand citizens,[3] participating in the ANZCAN cable route survey,[2] and assisting in international searches for sea mounts and shoals.[citation needed] She carried a helicopter and undertook rescue or aid missions, saving the lives of eight people during the New Zealand to Tonga Yacht Regatta.

HMNZS Monowai in Lowestoft Suffolk
HMNZS Monowai – London
HMNZS Monowai, London – alongside HMS Belfast
HMNZS Monowai in Monaco
HMNZS Monowai – Doubtful Sound
HMNZS Monowai

Decommissioning and fate
Monowai was replaced in 1997 by HMNZS Resolution, formerly USNS Tenacious.[2] She was sold to British buyers, Hebridean Island Cruises, for conversion into a cruise ship in 1998. She was laid up at Lowestoft in England after being found unsuitable for her intended use until 2002 when she was finally sent to Spanish shipbreakers

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USS Tripoli forward deploys to Japan https://ift.tt/uvMDaVr

03 June 2025 – From Courtesy Story

SAN DIEGO – The America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) departed Naval Base San Diego May 19 to forward deploy to Sasebo, Japan, as part of a scheduled rotation of forces in the Pacific.

Tripoli Departs San Diego

250519-N-EV253-1002 America-class amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) transits San Diego Bay, May 19, 2025. The ship departed Naval Base San Diego to complete a homeport change and join forward-deployed naval forces in Sasebo, Japan as part of a scheduled rotation of forces in the Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sara L. Eshleman)

The Tripoli will replace the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), which will depart Sasebo and move to San Diego.

“The Tripoli is ready to defend U.S. interests abroad and strengthen our long-standing partnership with Japan,” said Capt. Eddie Park, commanding officer of the Tripoli. “I am extremely proud to lead this hard-working and motivated team of Sailors and Marines overseas to support security, stability and prosperity in this vital region.”

The forward presence of the Tripoli supports the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan, enhances the national security of the United States and improves its ability to protect strategic interests. The security environment in the Indo-Pacific requires the most capable ships to enable rapid response times for maritime and joint forces.

“The U.S. has a vital relationship with Japan, and their hospitality and professionalism are unmatched,” said the Tripoli’s executive officer (XO), Capt. Patrick Sullivan, whose previous assignment was deputy commander of Naval Surface Group Western Pacific in Sasebo. “I’m honored and excited to return as the XO of such a highly capable warship to honor our nation’s security commitment to Japan.”

San Diego has been the Tripoli’s homeport since September 2020. Since then, the Tripoli supported multiple exercises including Valiant Shield, Iron Storm, Kamandag, Steel Knight, and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Patrol 22.2. The ship also completed numerous maintenance availabilities and earned various fleet and type commander excellence awards.

“This crew has been diligently preparing to forward deploy since last year,” said Park. “I am fully confident in the crew’s abilities to execute any mission assigned to us.”

The Tripoli was commissioned July 15, 2020, and is the second America-class amphibious assault ship built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the U.S. Marine Corps victory against Tripoli at the Battle of Derna during the First Barbary War in 1805.

The mission of Commander, Naval Surface Force, Pacific Fleet is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

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Navy Deploys Destroyer USS Sampson to NORTHCOM https://ift.tt/HU4VoxP

Sam LaGrone – June 3, 2025 11:13 PM

USS Sampson (DDG-102) conducts a routine port call onboard Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Port Hueneme on Nov. 15, 2024. US Navy Photo

A West Coast destroyer departed on Tuesday as the latest ship to deploy in support of operations in U.S. Northern Command, reads a statement from U.S. Fleet Forces.

USS Sampson (DDG-102) left from San Diego to relieve the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Charleston (LCS-18), “continuing the Navy’s role in maritime operations that support national security priorities,” reads the statement. “The deployment is part of the Department of Defense’s support to national objectives along the U.S. southern border, following Presidential directives and ongoing interagency efforts to improve border security and homeland defense.”

Sampson, like Charleston, has a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment during its deployment. Embarked LEDETs have been a centerpiece of Navy support for the overall anti-trafficking effort in U.S. Southern Command for decades as part of Campaign Martillo.

“As a surface combatant assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9, Sampson brings robust multi-mission capabilities to the task of defending U.S. sovereignty and supporting homeland defense operations in coordination with USNORTHCOM,” reads a statement.

Destroyers from both coasts have been dispatched to the border to support anti-trafficking and immigration operations.

Last week in the Caribbean Sea, USS Gravely (DDG-107) and LEDET 401 seized $13.5 million in cocaine, USNI News reported.

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Hegseth orders renaming of ship named for gay rights icon Harvey Milk https://ift.tt/wFKHW6E

By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press – Jun 4, 2025, 09:25 AM

In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, the replenishment oiler Harvey Milk conducts a replenishment at sea in the Atlantic Ocean on Dec. 13, 2024. (MC2 Maxwell Orlosky/U.S. Navy via AP)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the replenishment oiler Harvey Milk, a highly rare move that will strip the ship of the moniker of a slain gay rights activist who served as a sailor during the Korean War.

U.S. officials say Navy Secretary John Phelan put together a small team to rename the replenishment oiler and that a new name is expected this month. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the next name had not yet been chosen.

The change was laid out in an internal memo that officials said defended the action as a move to align with President Donald Trump and Hegseth’s objectives to “re-establish the warrior culture.”

RELATED
Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office.

It marks the latest move by Hegseth and the wider Trump administration to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion. And it comes during Pride Month — the same timing as the Pentagon’s campaign to force transgender troops out of the U.S. military.

“Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on the renaming. “Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete.”

The decision was first reported by Military.com. Phelan’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The oiler Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who said at the time that the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights.

Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office. Milk served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and had sponsored a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing and employment. It passed, and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone signed it into law.

On Nov. 27, 1978, Milk and Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, a disgruntled former city supervisor who cast the sole vote against Milk’s bill.

The ship was christened in 2021, and during the ceremony, then-Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said he wanted to be at the event “not just to amend the wrongs of the past, but to give inspiration to all of our LGBTQ community leaders who served in the Navy, in uniform today and in the civilian workforce as well, too, and to tell them that we’re committed to them in the future.”

The ship is operated by Military Sealift Command with a crew of about 125 civilian mariners. The Navy says it conducted its first resupply mission at sea in fall 2024 while operating in the Virginia Capes. It continued to resupply Navy ships at sea off the East Coast until it began scheduled maintenance at Alabama Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, earlier this year.

While the renaming is rare, the Biden administration also changed the names of two Navy ships in 2023 as part of the effort to remove Confederate names from U.S. military installations.

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser Chancellorsville — named for the Civil War battle — was renamed the Robert Smalls after a sailor and former enslaved person. And the Maury, an oceanographic survey ship originally named after a Confederate sailor, was renamed the Marie Tharp after a geologist and oceanographic cartographer who created the first scientific maps of the Atlantic Ocean floor.

Maritime lore hints as to why renaming ships is so unusual, suggesting that changing a name is bad luck and tempts retribution from the sea gods.

Military Times editor Beth Sullivan contributed to this report.

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Naval parade through Wellington as part of sister city celebrations with HMAS Canberra https://ift.tt/izPkams

June 2, 2025–News from WCC

An MH-60 Black Hawk supporting Special Operations Command Pacific prepares to take flight after conducting a deck landing aboard HMAS Canberra off the coast of Queensland, Australia, during Talisman Sabre 21, July 26, 2021. TS21 supports the Indo-Pacific Pathways initiative to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and building trust and interoperability with allies and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Joshua Thompson)

Wellington will be celebrating its sister city partnership with Canberra this week.

Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Andrew Barr will be leading a delegation to Wellington, to celebrate the partnership and cooperation between the two capital cities.

“This week’s celebration reflects the strength and significance of our city’s relationship with Canberra, further deepening the bonds of friendship and collaboration between us,” says Mayor Tory Whanau.

“Our partnership is a source of great pride and a key element in Wellington’s international engagements, fostering a continued exchange of ideas, culture, and goodwill.”

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the visit was an opportunity to reaffirm the deep and growing ties between Canberra and Wellington.

“Our sister city relationship with Wellington is one of genuine friendship and mutual respect. It’s built on a shared commitment to sustainability, creativity, and inclusive growth,” says Mr Barr. “From climate action and urban planning to arts and innovation, our two capital cities face many of the same challenges and opportunities. This visit allows us to share knowledge, deepen collaboration, and celebrate what we’ve already achieved together.

“It’s also a chance to showcase the very best of Canberra – from our defence ties and creative industries to our thriving business and education sectors.”

HMAS Canberra, the Royal Australian Navy’s flagship, will take part in a series of events that includes a naval parade through the city, Ship’s company volunteering at a soup kitchen and in community clean-ups, and a rugby match against their New Zealand counterparts.

An agreement will be signed to foster closer cooperation between capital cities in the Pacific region, and a business mission from Canberra will meet with their New Zealand counterparts.

The programme of activities includes:

5-9 June: Visit by the amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra.

5 June: A business delegation, including representatives from the Canberra Chamber of Commerce and the Canberra Convention Bureau (responsible for attracting business events to the Canberra region), will attend an economic briefing organised by the Wellington City Council.

6 June: Signing of a tripartite agreement on regional cooperation between Wellington, Canberra, and the Fijian capital, Suva.

6 June: Ship’s company from HMAS Canberra will volunteer at the Compassion Soup Kitchen from 10am to 12:30pm and participate in clean-ups from 12:30pm to 3:30pm at the Wellington Botanic Garden, Otari-Wilton’s Bush, Wellington Zoo, Wellington Harbour (near the tugboat), and Owhiro Bay.

6 June, 9:00am-12:00pm: AFL match between the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy at Rugby League Park, Newtown.

7 June, 10:00am-10:30am: Freedom of Entry parade through Wellington by around 250 Ship’s company of HMAS Canberra.

The parade begins at Queens Wharf Square, proceeds onto Jervois Quay, then turns onto Brandon Street. It continues down Lambton Quay, turning right and proceeding along Lambton Quay towards Parliament. Just before Bowen Street, the parade will be “challenged” by the Wellington District Commander of the New Zealand Police (a symbolic exchange where they will ask for identification and confirmation of permission, which will be provided via the Mayor’s charter). Following this, the parade will continue, with participants saluting VIPs on the dais at the Cenotaph. The route then continues along Bunny Street and Thorndon Quay, concluding near Pipitea Marae.

7 June, 1:30pm-3:00pm: Royal Australian Navy band concert at Pukeahu National War Memorial.

Under the sister city partnership agreement signed in 2016, Wellington and Canberra committed to promote business collaboration, tourism, educational and cultural exchanges, and the sharing of research and knowledge.

Regular visits and the signing of agreements between their business chambers, screen industry organisations, zoos, conservation eco-sanctuaries, indigenous artist exchange programmes, and botanic gardens have enhanced city-to-city relations since then.

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World’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be dismantled in Alabama https://ift.tt/7wNvMt1

By JOHN R. ROBY AL.COM • May 31, 2025

Tugboats move the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier at its launching at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Va., September 24, 1960. (U.S. Navy) (Tribune News Service) —

A Vermont company has been awarded more than a half-billion dollars to dismantle a historic aircraft carrier in Mobile, Ala. According to a Pentagon procurement notice posted Friday, NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services LLC of Vernon, Vt., has been awarded a $536,749,731 firm-fixed-price contract for “the dismantling, recycling, and disposal” of the former USS Enterprise, CVN-65. The Enterprise was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when it was commissioned in 1961. It was the only vessel of its class to be built, and 1,123 feet, was the longest ship to ever serve in the U.S. Navy. “The Big E” completed 25 deployments during 51 years of service, according to Naval History and Heritage Command. The carrier was deactivated in 2012 and decommissioned in 2017. The Navy’s effort to dispose of the decommissioned nuclear-powered carrier has been more than a decade in the making, AL.com has reported. The Navy has said it would see significant cost savings by outsourcing the dismantling to a private company rather than undertaking it at a Navy facility. The notice states NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services will be responsible for any hazardous materials encountered during the dismantling, “including low-level radioactive waste, [which] will be packaged and safely transported for disposal at authorized licensed sites.” Work is expected to be completed by November 2029.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-05-31/uss-enterprise-dismantle-first-nuclear-carrier-alabama-17972761.html?utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email
Source – Stars and Stripes

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HMNZS Tui (A2, A05) , formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). https://ift.tt/JLQIFx8

Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

Charles H. Davis underway in Boston Harbor, 30 January 1963, five days after being placed in service

The ship was recommissioned into the RNZN in late 1970, and as HMNZS Tui served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997. In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck.RNZN
In 1970, she was transferred to the RNZN, and was commissioned on 11 September 1970 as HMNZS Tui. Tui was named after the Tui bird, and was the second of two ships with this name to serve in the RNZN.

After a partial refit and the installation and testing of scientific equipment, Tui began a program of work for the Defence Scientific Establishment in Auckland. For years Tui went unobtrusively about the kind of work she was designed for, primarily underwater acoustics.

Tui worked in Australian, Indian Ocean and South Pacific waters. She worked on Auckland University research, with DSIR scientists, and with other oceanographic ships. Tui also took part in several American research programs. Her acoustic research was mainly to do with the detection and tracking of submarines.

HMNZS Tui – returning home after RIMPAC

During the 1970s she made an extensive search for the Maria Theresa Reef.

Decommissioning and fate
In 1997, Tui was decommissioned and was replaced by the hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution.

In February 1999, Tui was scuttled 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Tutukaka Heads to serve as a tourist attraction and wreck for divers, following a period of work on her which removed any objects in danger of breaking free and welding shut any areas that may have posed a hazard for wreck divers.[1] Her anchor was presented to the City of Napier

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Sitrep (with videos): First ship of new class rolled out for Royal Navy amid ongoing challenges https://ift.tt/Sbcljm4

30th May 2025 at 11:44am

Say hello to the first of a new generation of ships for the Royal Navy

This week marked a significant milestone for the Royal Navy as the Type 31 HMS Venturer was officially rolled out of the build hall in Rosyth, receiving applause from gathered workers and officials.

The Venturer is the first of five new Inspiration-class frigates, playing a vital role in the Royal Navy’s strategy to modernise its ageing fleet.

Costing up to £300m, the Venturer is viewed as a crucial and cost-effective response to the Royal Navy’s ongoing shortage of ships and personnel.

Speaking on BFBS Sitrep, defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke explained the current state of the Royal Navy, saying: “The challenges are legion. 

“It’s a very busy Navy, and it’s going to get a lot busier if we’re going to meet our current strategic expectations.” 

The Royal Navy currently comprises about 60 operational ships, not including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

However, deployable numbers are a concern as Prof Clarke explained, saying that around 10 frigates and destroyers might be available for deployment at any given time.

He said: “I remember when they used to regard 32 as the irreducible minimum.

“They said, we can’t possibly exist without 32.”

Highlighting a critical gap between strategic ambitions and available resources, he said: “We’re sending a carrier battlegroup around the world with our allies, yet we’re very short of deployable ships.” 

BFBS Forces News reporter David Sivills-McCann was present during HMS Venturer’s rollout and described the event as impressive, especially for the workers involved in its construction. 

The ship’s exit from the build shed took approximately 45 minutes and was accompanied by changing weather typical of Scotland.  

Of the pride felt by those who worked on HMS Venturer, Mr Sivills McCann said: “It was a lovely day for a lot of the workers gathered who were involved in the construction, just to watch the whole thing unfold. 

A section of HMS Venturer’s hull was moved for its paint job in May 2023

“There was a lovely moment, actually, when they broke into spontaneous applause when it ended.” 

Sir Nick Hine, former Second Sea Lord and now Chief Executive of Marine at Babcock, the company overseeing the Type 31 construction, expressed the day’s importance, saying: “What a great day… the first rollout of a ship that has been built entirely by Babcock in Rosyth. 

“First time we’ve ever done that. The first of many. 

“We’ve got [HMS] Venturer out today, we’ve got [HMS] Active in the shed. We’ve got another, [HMS] Formidable, in bits around the yard that we’re going to put in the shed. 

“I mean, that’s a pretty impressive drumbeat of platform delivery.” 

HMS Venturer’s first nine crew members visited her at the factory in July 2023

Operating from the Caribbean, South Pacific, Mediterranean, Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, the new Type 31 vessels are designed to deter aggression and maintain the security of the UK’s interests, delivering a warship presence across the globe. 

HMS Venturer can pack a punch during maritime security patrols because she is equipped with a 57 mm gun, two 40 mm guns and the Sea Ceptor. 

The naval air defence weapon system can protect an area the size of Greater Manchester (500 square miles/1,300 square kilometres) by engaging multiple targets simultaneously, reaching speeds of up to three times the speed of sound as it intercepts. 

The Type 31 frigate can also be used as a launchpad for commando raids, anti-piracy operations, escorting vessels encroaching on UK waters, plus disaster relief efforts and diplomacy overseas. 

HMS Venturer’s flight deck is the largest of any Royal Navy Frigate or Destroyer and can operate a range of aircraft types such as Merlin, Wildcat and Chinook. 

These ships will replace ageing Type 23 vessels, providing modernised capabilities with a smaller crew size – 60% larger than their predecessors but requiring only 60% of the workforce.

The first steel was cut for HMS Formidable in October 2024

Sir Nick emphasised that with recruitment and retention issues affecting the Armed Forces, designing affordable and efficient ships is paramount for future naval operations. 

He said: “All navies all over the world suffer from not enough money and not enough people, so we’ve got to build ships that are affordable and we’ve got to make them be able to be operated by less people.” 

As the Royal Navy faces challenges such as budgetary constraints and personnel shortages, the rollout of HMS Venturer is an encouraging step toward building a more capable fleet ready to meet the demands of modern naval warfare. 

The aim is to have all five Inspiration-class ships operating at sea by 2030. 

You can listen to Sitrep wherever you get your podcasts, including on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel. 

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RNZ Navy Reserves protect United States Naval Ship https://ift.tt/gcWIrmw

Reservists from three Royal New Zealand Navy units combined with Regular Forces to provide on-the-water security for a visiting US Navy ship in Wellington last week.

A small Royal New Zealand Navy Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat in front of the large grey US Navy ship, USS Blue Ridge.

30 May, 2025

Personnel from Christchurch Reserve Unit HMNZS Pegasus brought up their J3 RHIB on a trailer to Wellington, while Regular Force personnel from the Boat Squadron at HMNZS Philomel trailered their RHIB down from Auckland.

As part of a Force Protection team of Navy and NZ Police, the work involved escorting the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge into Wellington Harbour on 16 May and patrolling the ‘Defence Zone’ around the ship during the days and nights it was berthed at Centreport wharves.

The work required the rotation of the two boats on 24/7 shifts using Philomel personnel and reservists from Pegasus, Dunedin Reserve Unit HMNZS Toroa and Wellington Reserve Unit HMNZS Olphert. The New Zealand Police launch Lady Elizabeth IV and a Police RHIB shared patrolling duties.

The Blue Ridge departed Wellington on 21 May.

Warrant Officer Combat System Specialist Richard Murray, Regular Forces and Acting Divisional Coxswain Pegasus, was the Officer in Charge for the tasking. He came with one reservist from Toroa, three Pegasus reservists and ‘Razor’, the unit’s RHIB.

The tasking was short notice but the reservists were keen to support, he said.

A RHIB attached to a white utility vehicle is prepared to be launched in an industrial area.

The Royal New Zealand Navy prepare to launch a RHIB.

The crews and boats rotated four-hour shifts, basing the RHIBs out of Seaview Marina across the harbour.

Petty Officer Maritime Trade Operations James Dunlop-Storey, HMNZS Olphert, says it’s great to see Reserves working closely with other agencies. “It was good to work so closely with Police and I look forward to working with other Government agencies in the future.”

He said they experienced the full range of Wellington weather during the protection period, including torrential rain over the weekend.

“It’s always good to spend time on the tools, and having little blue penguins and seals coming to check what we were doing is always heart-warming.”

For Christchurch, it’s another solid tasking for ‘Razor’, which is with the unit for a ‘proof of concept’ trial to test the return of small boat capability to the Naval Reserve Force.

Early this year Pegasus assisted the Environment Canterbury Harbourmaster on a Safe Boating project, taking their RHIB to harbours and lakes in Canterbury and talking to boaties.

Navy sailors in a RHIB talk to a civilian sailor on their own vessel.

The crews and boats rotated four-hour shifts, basing the RHIBs out of Seaview Marina across the harbour.

Lieutenant Commander Tim Johns, Commanding Officer HMNZS Pegasus, says it was a very good demonstration of how Reserves and Regular Forces could merge seamlessly.

“It was 50 percent Reserves, 50 percent Regular Forces, doing the same tasking together. And from the perspective of our trial, it shows our deployability of our RHIB from land. This kind of tasking grows our Navy’s collective knowledge and skill.”

The other benefit was showing the talents of the Reserve Force to Regular Force personnel.

“The Regular Force have very limited opportunity to interact with Reserves. It can be difficult to comprehend the way we operate given that reservists have other careers to manage while still providing support for the Navy.

“So this was a really good engagement piece where members of the two force elements got to learn from each other. The Reserves are staffed with a lot of ex-Regular Force personnel, and there’s a lot of recent experience we can bring to the table. This is a very good starting point to show how we can operate together on a more regular basis.”

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