Colonel queries frigates’ value

Press, 29 May 1989, Page 6

Colonel queries frigates’ value

By

OLIVER RIDDELL in

Wellington New Zealand would never get value or effectiveness for its defence dollar if it were tied to the Anzac frigate project, according to a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Colonel Russ Martin told a non-Government seminar on frigates . in Wellington yesterday that the decision to argue for four frigates was unfortunate. Buying the frigates would severely reduce or even eliminate the prospect of putting New Zealand’s forces to more appropriate and specialised use in the South Pacific region, he said. In any event, the impending need to replace the ageing frigates should force a careful reappraisal of the roles and structure of New Zealand’s Armed Forces. Colonel Martin was concerned that buying the

Anzac frigates would lead increasingly to New Zealand’s foreign policy being made in Canberra. Having the frigates would tie the Royal- New Zealand Navy to Australian logistic systems for the life of the ships and, even worse, tie New Zealand foreign policy even more tightly to Australian foreign policy. These trends should be seend as undesirable and unnecessary, he said. New Zealand should be capable of evolving its own defence and foreign policies.

The proposed frigates could nerve provide the flexibility of roles or the capacity that larger troopcarrying transports could provide. They would be unable to carry or support the essential transport helicopters needed in a ship that ought to fulfil a multitude of roles, Colonel Martin said.