Nothing cheaper, better than frigates—Tizard

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 2

Nothing cheaper, better than frigates—Tizard

Bv

DAVE WILSON

The Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, put the Government’s case for the Anzac frigates yesterday, telling a Christchurch audience that a cheaper and more effective option had yet to be presented.

Mr Tizard said alternative ship designs, advocated by critics of the Anzac project, had been evaluated and rejected as unsuitable fdr New Zealand’s naval requirements into the next century.

In an address to the Canterbury Officers’ Club, the Minister continued the Government’s stepped-up campaign for a 12ship Australia/New Zealand shipbuilding programme, of which four frigates would be built for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Mr Tizard said the alternative designs had been rejected on a range of factors, from performance shortcomings to excessive cost.

The American Hamilton-class coastguard cutter and Norwegian Nordkapp designs, suggested by Dr Kevin Clements of Christchurch, were among the designs eliminated.

“The Hamilton class was developed in the early 1960 s and it is

just not practicable for New Zealand to bring into production a design 25 years old to meet naval needs beyond the turn of the century.

“The Nordkapp was considered at the initial evaluation stage in the Anzac project but it did not reach the shortlist. “The technical assessment concluded that the system and engineering changes needed to meet basic Australian and New Zealand requirements would have involved an unacceptable level of development risk,” Mr Tizard said.

He said the Anzac frigates debate was now focusing on what he perceived to be the real nub of the issue.

“This is the requirement for a naval capability to implement our own decisions on defence objectives and security within our marked-out area of strategic concern, as well as maintaining a shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with Australia.

“The core premise to the Government’s policies is that it values highly and is putting every effort into developing the bilateral relationship with Australia in the field of defence and regards a blue-water Navy as necessary to achieve stated security objectives.” The developing relationship with Australia did not compromise New Zealand’s right to determine its defence and foreign policy goals. Mr Tizard said the Government had weighed future maritime needs against the possible threats that could arise.

The two designs under evaluation — German and Dutch — were significantly scaled down in comparison to the fittings on the European versions. “Armament will be light. Apart from a general-purpose gun, offensive capabilities — such as anti-ship and long-range anti-air missiles — will not be fitted.” Mr Tizard said New Zealand

was looking at ships modelled to local needs and maritime conditions, working under the assumption of no immediate threat but with consideration that this could change within the 30-year lifespan of the ships. The multi-purpose frigates could also fulfil a variety of peace-time duties, including resource patrols, disaster relief and search and rescue.

Mr Tizard said the funding for the frigates was coming from a Defence budget that was comparatively low by international standards and shrinking as a percentage of total Government expenditure.

“When compared with the Government’s social spending, the allocation to the Anzac ship project is minor. “Spread over 20 years, it comes to $lOO million a year and represents less than 1 per cent of the $l6 billion identified for health, education and welfare.”