Commitments And Strength Of R.N.Z.N.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30454, 30 May 1964, Page 14

Commitments And Strength Of R.N.Z.N.

(New Zealand Press Association)

TIMARU, May 29.

The Royal New Zealand Navy would have four modern frigates in 1967, but on the average its operational strength in local waters would lie in only one of them for most of the time, said the Chief of the Naval Staff (Rear-Admiral R. E. Washbourn) in Timaru tonight

Admiral Washbourn said the Navy was committed to keeping one fighting ship inj the Commonwealth strategic i reserve at all times, and the frigate, H.M.N.Z.S. Taranaki, was on station in the Far East at the moment. Later this year she would be relieved by the frigate Otago. At the moment the cruiser Royalist was taking part in a large international exercise in the Philippines area. Questioned on the likelihood of other vessels being sent to the Far East, he said the Navy found it difficult to keep more than one ship in the strategic reserve at one time, as at the moment it had only two modern frigates and the Royalist available for the duty, and many other essential commitments kept all the ships very busy. The situation would be eased when the new frigate Waikato, now building in Northern Ireland, arrived in New Zealand waters early in 1967. “By this time, however, the Royalist, which has given good value for 10 years or more, will have reached the end of her useful life and the Navy is hoping to acquire a fourth frigate on loan or. perhaps, on hire about the time the Royalist is paid off,” he said.

Asked if the planned strength of four frigates could be described as ideal for the Navy, Admiral Washbourn said that soon after the Second World War the New Zealand Navy had a strength of two cruisers and six frigates. By 1967 both cruisers would have gone, and the six Lochclass, war-time frigates woud have reached the end of their operational life. “The Navy has a usage rate of 60 per cent. Although this figure is higher generally

than most other navies it means that a ship is available operationally for only 60 per cent of the time. During the other 40 per cent it is training, carrying out refits and self-maintenance in order to keep the hull, machinery, and weapons in fighting order, and. of course, there is leave for the ship’s company. “All this means that although we will have four modern frigates in commission in 1967, on the average only between two and three of them (60 per cent) will be available for operational purposes over the whole year. Take one away to fulfil our commitments to the Commonwealth strategic reserve in the Far East, and we will have only one modern frigate most of the time for all other purposes,” said Admiral Washbourn.