Pacific 2019: NZ delineates Southern Ocean OPV requirement
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) used the opportunity afforded by the Pacific International Maritime Exhibition in Sydney to elaborate on its requirement for a new ice-strengthened OPV that is able to handle the rigours and rough conditions of the Southern Ocean.
New Zealand’s Defence Capability Plan listed the need for such a vessel, one that is more capable and has better seakeeping than the two current 1,900t Otago-class OPVs in the RNZN.
The 2019 edition of the plan stated: ‘The navy’s existing patrol capabilities are not able to meet the changing requirements of New Zealand’s maritime domain. The
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