U.S. Equipment Trend

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31662, 24 April 1968, Page 9

U.S. Equipment Trend

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 22,

New Zealand’s naval ships of the future may be built in the United States, the Chief of Naval Staff (Rear-Admiral J. O’C. Ross) said in Auckland today.

He said he would not go as far as to predict that the new frigate Canterbury would be the last British-built warship purchased by New Zealand. “What 1 would go so far as to say is that recent events are going to mean an evolving pattern of change in the weap onry of the Royal New Zealand Navy. “What I can’t predict is that this will occur at a detectable date or instant.

“These ships we have today —excellent ships—are backed up by a dockyard organisation and a training organisation. We can’t change that overnight. “The process of Americanisation will be one we carry out at a slow rate. But we will introduce American weaponry more and more. “Ultimately, it is quite likely you will see ships built in the United States for our Navy.” Rear Admiral Ross will leave on Friday for the United States to study the

American weaponry with which the Canterbury will be equipped. He declined to specify what it would be. He said the closing date for tenders for the frigate was May 14. No vast problems were expected as the ship's specifications were very similar to the Waikato’s. A naval spokesman said today the life of a new frigate could be assesed as being about 20 years. “You could perhaps draw from this how long complete Americanisation might take,” he said. Survey Ship Rear Admiral Ross said the replacement of the survey ship Lachlan was under consideration. “The whole of the West Coast is not served by modern charts. We are working with charts dating back to 1857 in some areas,” he said. The Lachlan was 23 years old and he could see no sign of a let-up in demands for coastal surveys.