Surprise over submarine news
PA Wellington The Government’s decision not to replace ageing Naval frigates with submarines appears to have caught the Ministry of Defence by surprise. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said New Zealand was not buying submarines “in conjunction with the Australians or the Americans or anyone.” A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday confirmed this meant plans to buy submarines had been scrapped. The decision has come more than a month before the Ministry of Defence ex-
pected to complete its recommendations to buy Australian submarines. A Royal New Zealand Navy officer, Commander Andy Millar, has been in Australia since last year studying the submarine proposal. It was comfirmed yesterday that Commander Millar is still in Australia on that task even though the Government has dropped the idea. The suggestion that the Navy should be equipped with submarines was raised in the 1983 Defence Review. The review said submarines would provide a degree of self-reliance in
maritime defence not previously available to New Zealand. It said that no firm decision would be made about buying submarines until a thorough study had been completed, which would take at least two years.
A force of four submarines, given financial constraints, was suggested in the review.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said yesterday that alternatives to the submarine proposal would be to buy new ships, replace the frigates with smaller ships, or to buy second-hand frigates.
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Press, 8 February 1985, Page 4
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239Surprise over submarine news Press, 8 February 1985, Page 4
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