New Zealand navy issues an RfT for RHIBs
The Royal New Zealand Navy is seeking new RHIBs to swap out its existing fleet. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
The RHIB inventory of New Zealand’s navy is set for a complete overhaul beginning next year.
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) is hunting for a new fleet of rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) to replace current inventories.
The tender document, issued on 21 October, stated that 26 diesel-powered RHIBs (called naval small craft, or NSC, by the RNZN) are being sought.
The navy wishes to consolidate the number of types of NSC in service, and it prefers a commercial off-the-shelf solution.
Tasks expected of the new NSCs are transferring personnel/light stores; boarding operations; supporting inshore patrol; supporting maritime survey and operational dive teams; force protection; and acting as a fast rescue craft and helicopter crash boat.
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance]()
Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance
Success with the US Army’s Black Widow programme may have strengthened Red Cat’s international position, but executives believe the next growth opportunity lies in uncrewed surface vessels.
-
![The FDI frigate: a growing success story with more opportunities to come]()
The FDI frigate: a growing success story with more opportunities to come
Designed as a multi-role frigate with both anti-submarine and air defence capabilities, Naval Group’s medium-sized FDI frigate increasingly stands out as a success story in an industry wrought with delays.
-
![US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits]()
US weighs offshore warship production due to industrial limits
A Pentagon push to procure warships from Japanese and South Korean shipyards could reshape allied naval industrial strategy, but critics warn the approach risks hollowing out the domestic base Washington is seeking to restore.
-
![Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA]()
Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA
The accelerated delivery of the final Flight IIA destroyer, USS Patrick Gallagher, showcases the payoff of years of workforce investment and process reform at Bath Iron Works, with the lessons feeding into Flight III production.
