New Zealand National Security by Carl Bradley

Author:Carl Bradley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Massey University Press
Published: 2017-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

9. Air surveillance capability and the security of the exclusive economic zone

Brian Oliver and John Moremon *

New Zealand is an island nation that possesses an extensive marine environment. Preserving sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country’s islands, territorial waters and the vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) requires contributions from at least 12 departments and agencies tasked with national security.1 The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is the designated lead agency in relation to maritime threats within the EEZ and coastal waters, and is a supporting agency in relation to territorial disputes, detecting seaborne illegal migration (including people trafficking) and combatting illegal fishing. In addition, the NZDF has the capability to support other national security operations, particularly in relation to border violations and drug smuggling. The Defence White Paper 2016 emphasises the importance of the military contributions to whole-of-government national security, including to ‘ensure the protection and appropriate use of New Zealand’s natural resources, and that entry to the country is by legitimate means only’.2

Maritime domain awareness is essential for planning and conducting security operations in the EEZ. Security agencies generate domain awareness from a range of intelligence and surveillance sources, including aircraft, surface vessels, satellites, communications and information technology (cyber). This chapter focuses on the air surveillance capability as currently provided by the fleet of six P-3 Orion aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). After five decades of service, these aircraft will need to be replaced in the coming decade. Identifying suitable platforms to replace the P-3s will be challenging, as the aircraft will be required to undertake the same range of military and civilian roles in and around New Zealand and further afield. The Defence White Paper 2016 explains:

The P-3 Orion surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft provide a wide area surveillance capability critical to maintaining awareness of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and the Southern Ocean and the South Pacific. They also enable the Government to continue to offer a highly valued capability to international coalition operations. Work is currently underway to upgrade the Orions’ underwater intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities, with the entire capability scheduled for replacement in the mid-2020s.3

This chapter discusses the capabilities required in a maritime air surveillance aircraft to support the national security effort, particularly multiagency operations over the EEZ. It also canvasses some possible options for replacement of the P-3, highlighting that the challenge rests in meeting the military capability requirement while also ensuring that current and future whole-of-government national security needs can be met.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.