Opinion
The New Zealand Defence Force is one force of three parts - the Navy, Army and Air Force. Together, as a small and professional force, we regard agility as the cornerstone of the things we do, so that we can achieve our vision of being: "Three services as
one force being the best at everything we do."
While I do not want to overstate the threat to New Zealand, the asymmetric nature of modern conflict means the frontline for the Defence Force is everywhere today. Wherever we operate is dangerous, and therefore agility is paramount in an increasingly uncertain world.
At its core the force's mission is to secure New Zealand against external threats, to protect our sovereign interests, including in the Exclusive Economic Zone, and to be able to take actions to meet likely contingencies in our strategic area of interest.
This mission is linked to a wider government theme of national identity - that as New Zealanders we celebrate our international identity as a people who support, uphold and defend freedom and fairness.
This is why the New Zealand Defence Force is an active and valued partner in international efforts to bring security around the globe. It currently has about 700 personnel deployed to 18 countries on peacekeeping operations, United Nations missions and defence-diplomacy activities around the world.
At the same time upwards of 800 people are either on standby or committed to tasks in New Zealand.
While our personnel are deployed in peacekeeping roles at the moment, we still need to train and sustain them to be combat ready. These roles are compatible.
Training for combat allows us to conduct peacekeeping and humanitarian operations more effectively in an uncertain world. The will and ability to undertake combat roles are invaluable assets when operating in non-combat environments and in ensuring the Defence Force is capable of delivering lethal and non-lethal force in the most demanding of environments.
Flexible, concurrent and sustained deployment will be the hallmark of future operations. Our operational agility will be demonstrated through our ability to deploy rapidly when warning times are short and where changes in tempo during operations are required.
To support our theme of agility, the Defence Force is midway through a significant upgrade of its military capability.
The Navy received the first of the seven Project Protector vessels this year, with the commissioning of HMNZS Canterbury in June. By the end of 2008, our Navy will receive another six vessels and will consist of 13 ships, which together bring a range of new capabilities that can be used in operations around New Zealand and overseas.
The Navy will be equipped to fulfil the roles of naval combat, maritime surveillance, logistical support to the Army and Air Force, and border protection alongside other agencies including Customs, Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Maritime New Zealand, and the police.
All of the Air Force's frontline aircraft are being upgraded, modified or replaced between now and 2013. One of these major projects will be the introduction of eight NH90 helicopters to replace the Iroquois fleet. The NH90 will be the most versatile and deployable helicopter the Defence Force has ever had, allowing us to perform military missions, search and rescue and humanitarian relief operations at short notice.
In the Army our personnel are being trained to carry out duties in environments of ambiguity and complexity. Soldiers will be required to act and make decisions in situations of violent conflict, yet at the same time cope with the needs of civilians. They will understand the legal situation and the political and cultural ramifications of every action they take.
Our soldiers and officers are being trained and equipped to operate in this uncertain environment.
Next year the Army's basic training course for soldiers, which is currently 13 weeks long, will be extended to 22 weeks to reflect the complex environment we must prepare for.
Underlining this change in capability and focus is the Defence Transformation Programme, an undertaking for change in our corporate processes to ensure the Defence Force runs simpler and better.
The programme will make changes to areas of human resources, logistics, training and education, and information technology.
A recent review highlighted areas that could be made more efficient.
While the Defence Force faces change and challenge as it adapts to meet the demands of an uncertain world, what will not change is its dedication to being a values-based force, with comradeship, commitment, courage and integrity the foundation of its culture.
To ensure these values remain at the core of the Defence Force we are focusing on developing leaders with three abilities: the competence to employ to best effect the people they lead; the capacity to manage resources efficiently; and the ability to inspire subordinates to accomplish tasks to the best of their abilities.
To operate in an uncertain and dangerous world, and to represent New Zealand's interests, we need to be sure of our ethos and values system.
These values underline an agile and modern Defence Force that is led, trained and equipped to win.
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