Third Frigate Ordered For New Zealand Navy

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30155, 12 June 1963, Page 14

Third Frigate Ordered For New Zealand Navy

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 11. The Cabinet has approved the purchase of a third frigate for the Royal New Zealand Navy. It will be built in the United Kingdom and will cost £6,300,(XX).

The frigate, which will be built under Admiralty supervision, will be of the Leander class—also known as type 12—a modification of the Whitby class, with similar speed and hull shape, but with improved weapons and equipment.

The name “Achilles” has been recommended to the Government by the Chief of Naval Staff (Rear-Admiral P. Phipps) as a memorial to the cruiser which fought in the Battle of the River Plate. The conjunction of the names Achilles and Leander are regarded as being a fitting recognition of the two cruisers with which New Zealand entered the Second World War.

The new vessel will displace 2850 tons, and will have turbines d3veloping 30.000 h.p., giving her a speed of more than 30 knots. By comparison, H.M.N.Z.S. Royalist, displacing 5800 tons, requires 62,000 h.p. to drive her at similar speed. In armament, the new ship will be slightly different from the frigates Qtago and Taranaki. She will be designed to carry a helicopter 01 the Westland Wasp type. During his recent visit to the United Kingdom, the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) visited the Westland factory and had a flight in a similar helicopter. The plan is for New Zealand to purchase Westland helicopters for both Army

and Navy use, the servicing and flying of which may be done by Air Force personnel. This is part of the scheme for the "streamlining” of New Zealand services to produce maximum efficiency with minimum expenses.

In addition, the new ship, which will have a company of 235, will have antisubmarine torpedoes, a twin 4.5 inch gun turret, and at least one set of three depthcharge mortars. The Whitby class ships each have two sets of these mortars, but one may have to be removed to allow a helicopter platform aft. There will also be a Seacat guided missile on the new frigate for anti-aircraft defence.

Mr Eyre said tonight that the new ship would be built

or a different basis from the first two.

For years it had been the tradition to build warships on a “cost plus” basis. Recently, however, the Admiralty had developed a method of construction by fixed price tender.

“Last year we authorised the Admiralty to call tenders on our behalf and the Cabinet has now approved the acceptance of the most suitable of these,” said Mr Eyre. “The total price will cover three different stages—the construction of the ship, the provision of special equipment and the supply of a substantial amount of spares and munitions.”

Mr Eyre said the decision was an indication of the Government’s desire to place New Zealand’s defences on a realistic footing. “We cannot buy everything we want at once.” he said. “We must consider what the country can afford and what the ■ services can maintain. But we can make progress in re-equipping the services, and this decision marks a significant step in the programme,’’ he said.