COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL FISHERY PROTECTION SHIPS TAILOR-MADE TO N.Z’s NEEDS

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32450, 10 November 1970, Page 18

COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL FISHERY PROTECTION SHIPS TAILOR-MADE TO N.Z’s NEEDS

(By

C. R. MENTIPLAY

(, our Parliamentary reporter)

■ WELLINGTON, November 'l.—With the provision of a near-new oceanographic research vessel from the United States, and the ‘ refurbishing and replating of the veteran survey ship Lachlan, the Royal New Zealand Navy has reached the next item of authorised expenditure—the replacement of the ageing fleet of Fairmile patrol launches which protect our offshore fishing areas. No single craft of all those inspected over the past three years has completely met the requirements laid down by the Chief of Naval ’ Staff (Rear-Admiral L. G. Carr) and the Naval Board, so the next step will be the issuing of specifications and tender documents on the international shipbuilding market.

The Government has at last given the Navy power to retain consultants for this purpose. The firm chosen is a British one with offices in Canberra and a strong reputation in naval construction. Shortly after the New Year, the detailed specifications are expected to be in Government hands. This will mean that the 1971-72 Estimates of Expenditure will contain provision for part of the cost of the first two ships which will be delivered about July 1973. The four remaining ships in the first order of six will be delivered over the following two years, probably from shipyards in New Zealand. Three proposals The tender documents are expected to refer to three different proposals—whether all six launches will be built overseas, whether construction will be carried out wholly in this country, or whether the first two will be constructed overseas while the others are completed in New Zealand shipyards. This is of considerable importance to New Zealand’s shipbuilding industry, which has demonstrated its ability to build launches, tugs ana other craft to international standards at competitive prices. The last two proposals are rendered more attractive by the official view that six ships are not sufficient to patrol New Zealand’s extended fishing territory efficiently. A pencilled-in requirement for twelve ships is likely to arouse the interest of international designers and builders of patrol craft. It is remembered that both Malaysia and Singapore chose Vosper-Thomeycroft patrol craft, sent crews to England to bring the first ones out, and elected to have subsequent boats built locally. A New Zealander (uieu-tenant-Commander A G. Rhodes) brought Singapore’s first Vosper patrol-craft out last year, and construction of others is now going on in the Vosper-Thomeycroft yards in Singapore, while New Zealand petty-officers instruct the personnel of Singapore’s new navy. Nothing yet favoured Naval sources emphasise, however, that no particular vessel has been favoured by naval inspecting teams. Neither is it true, they say, that a particular New Zealand shipyard has been singled out above the others. International builders who have already expressed interest in the project all realise that more than half of the first six launches will have to be built in this , country. Some of them are prepared to team up with New Zealand yards. The call is for a dualpurpose craft, which is capable of carrying out fishery patrol duties around the New Zealand coastline, and which in case of war can carry heavy armament and travel long distances in open sea to permit deployment in Pacific and South-East Asian waters.

In these respects our requirements differ from those of Singapore and Malaysia, where the requirement is for fast, heavilyarmed patrol craft operating in ah. anti-piracy, anti-smug-gling role, in an area where Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia lie close together with sheltered waters between.

The conditions determine the design. Sea-keeping capacity. requires a longer vessel, and comfort on long patrols would indicate .broader beam —but these in turn would force up engine-power and all-up weight. The required vessel would be between 95 and 110 feet long, with engines powerful enough to give her an optimum speed of at least 26 knots and a sustained performance of more than 20 knots. A certain requirement would be the capacity to cruise to 2000 miles at 12-15 knots. Craft examined Many craft have been examined by the Navy’s assessment teams over the past three years. These have included:

THE VOSPER-THORNEY-CROFT patrol launch. -It measures 103 feet overall, has a beam of 19.8 feet, a draft of five and a half feet, and displaces 109 tons fully loaded. Two Bristol-Siddeley Maybachs MD655/18 engines give 3500 horsepower, giving a maximum speed of 27 knots and a range of 14001600 miles at 14 knots. THE UNITED STATES COASTGUARD CUTTER. This is 95 feet long, with a beam of 19 feet and a draft of six feet. It displaces 98-106 tons (depending on armanent and electronics) and is powered with four diesels totalling 2200 horsepower, giving a maximum speed of 21 knots. Her cruising capability is 1500 miles at an unspecified speed.

THE BROOK MARINE "fast long-range patrol craft.” This British craft is 107 feet long, has a beam of 20 feet and a draft of five, and displaces 115 tons. It has an all-welded

steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Two BristolSiddeley Maybachs MD655/18 engines give 3400 horsepower for a maximum speed of 24 knots and a cruising range of 1500 miles at 13 knots.

THE FRENCH 4VC type "Seaward motor defence launch.” This is 104.2 feet long, with a beam of 15.5 feet, a draft of five and a half feet, and a fully-loaded displacement of 82 tons. Two Mercedes Benz diesels produce 2700 horsepower to produce 28 knots. At 15 knots the 4VC has a range of 1500 miles.

THE CANADIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE CUTTER. This is 95.2 feet long, with a beam of 20 feet and a draft of six and a half feet. It displaces 153 tons. Unspecified diesels producing 2400 Ljrsepower give it a top speed of 20 knots and a range of more than 1500 miles. THE AUSTRALIAN BATTLE CLASS patrol launch. This craft is 107.5 feet long, with a beam of 20 feet and a draft of seven and one third feet. It is of all-steel construction, and displaces 146 tons fully loaded. Two Paxman 16YTCM diesels give these boats a maximum speed of 24 knots. The off-shore task The urgency of the replacement of the Fairmiles by speedier vessels has never been disputed—but other requirements have tended to take precedence. The Fairmiles were designed thirty years ago for harbour defence duties. They have been re-engined, but can be outrun by most of the Japanese boats operating legally or illegally off the New Zealand coast. Crews find them reasonably habitable—but they are virtually unarmed and deficient' in electronic gear. Their armament .consists of five .303 rifles, kept in a locked cupboard in the Captain’s cabin. The new boats are likely to carry something more lethal, and to have the capacity for being armed with Bofors or Oerlikon cannon, anti-sub-marine mortars, surface-to-surface missiles and medium machine-guns. This would be a “wartime-only” specification.

The vessels of the fisheryprotection flotilla work fairly closely with the long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the R.N.Z.AF., so a replacement vessel would require a high-quality radio transmitter-receiver. Added to this would be navigational radar, echo-sounding and J radio - directional equipment and a first-class search radar.

On the system now adopted, there is no doubt that New Zealand will receive the patrol launches best fitted to the task ahead. This can only happen, of course, if the recommenda-

tion is not supplanted by a "second best” which is financially more acceptable.