Dr Del Carlini argues that there is an adage that the only thing harder than getting a new idea into military thinking is to get an old idea out. Here’s a new idea: New Zealand doesn’t need a Navy; we need marine defence instead.

Gordon Campbell of Scoop writes that “at great expense, we’re equipping our navy and air force to help our allies carry out an air/sea attack upon China, which also happens to be the main market for our exports. To be clear, we’re not investing in equipment designed to defend the New Zealand homeland, or our exclusive economic zone.”

Former army officer Graeme Doull argues a navy built around multirole platforms accepts reality: that New Zealand’s strength lies in mobility, support, and regional leadership, not in mirroring the surface combat fleets of much larger powers.

Australia’s Defence White Paper recommends they spend close to $400 billion over the forward estimates … so the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff gathers the military and defence chiefs together to ask why?

Alternatives to frigates … an interesting history

The sensors, weapons and expensive high-speed capacity of the frigates are all focussed on their primary role of acting as defensive picket ships on the outer edge of United States aircraft carrier strike fleets.

!n the very remote chance of a conventional attack on New Zealand or its protectorates was ever to occur, it would have to come by sea. Even an airborne attack would ultimately need to be supported by sea.

This simple geographic reality makes New Zealand the safest nation on earth - we are surrounded by the World’s largest moat.

If our military was to focus on the job of protecting the territory and resources of New Zealand and our realm countries - rather than focussing on slotting in to the war-fighting structures and strategies of the United States - we would spend significantly less on our military.

With more than a third of the US fast-attack submarine fleet sidelined by maintenance delays, the assumptions behind AUKUS Pillar 1 are looking less credible by the year. Article by Peter Briggs for Pearls and Irritations.

By Eugene Doyle

After 500 years of almost incessant violence across the globe, Western countries are now rushing to increase military spending, New Zealand being the latest.

Marie Russell asks; Why does our small, remote country have such a costly defence force? Marie Russell argues we don’t need such expensive equipment, or to be trained and armed to kill.

For decades New Zealand has been provocatively flying military aircraft and sailing warships close to China and through their EEZ.  

But, now we’re panicking because the Chinese have dared to send two warships and an oiler into the Tasman Sea.