New Zealand seeks OPV for cold southern waters
With an RfI issued on 11 May, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has formally launched its hunt for a new ice-strengthened offshore patrol vessel (OPV) suitable for operations deep in the Southern Ocean.
The navy wants a vendor capable of designing and building its Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel (SOPV). An ability to traverse ice is clearly an important consideration, with a mandated minimum standard of Polar Class 5, and an ice-breaking performance through 1m of medium first-year sea ice with 300mm of snow cover at a 3kt forward speed.
While the navy has in mind a commercial design, this does
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