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ASS – Aotearoa

Aotearoa completes Indo-Pacific mission

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From Hawaii to the South China Sea, HMNZS Aotearoa’s 2024 Operation Crucible deployment has been a successful reaffirmation of New Zealand’s partnerships on the water.

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29 October, 2024

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home. Navy colleagues greeted the ship’s company with a haka, who responded with their own.

For Commanding Officer Commander Rob Welford, his return to Devonport was exactly one year and one day since he took command of Aotearoa, and the second time he has brought Aotearoa home from South East Asia. He took command of Aotearoa in Singapore towards the end of the ship’s 2023 deployment.

CDR Welford says he could not be prouder of his ship’s company.

“Our many successes with multiple countries, including some ‘firsts’ for the ship like an eight-hour refueling of USS Boxer, shows how Aotearoa continues to be the ‘tanker of choice’ in delivering an operational effect for our Defence partners.

“In all our engagements and taskings, Aotearoa’s sailors have had a smile on their face and put 100 per cent effort into everything they have done. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Rob Krushka, and RNZN Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Shane Arndell, were in Devonport to meet and talk with the crew of Aotearoa.

MAJGEN Krushka and CDRE Arndell wanted to convey the NZDF and the Navy’s thanks to the ship’s company for a lengthy mission professionally conducted.

CDRE Arndell says Aotearoa’s accomplishments shows the Royal New Zealand Navy is a highly trained blue-water navy with the personnel and platforms to make a tangible contribution on the world stage supporting the international rules-based system.

“There will be plenty more of these opportunities for our sailors in coming months allowing them to be at the sharp end of operations, and that’s exactly why they joined,” he says.

“This has been a long time away for the crew of Aotearoa but they should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”A large ship next to a wharf with a city skyline in the background. The sun is shinning and scattered cloud on blue sky is in the background.

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.People listen to the Navy band play on the wharf.

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.Family and friends wave and hold signs on a wharf. Part of another Navy ship is visible in the background.

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.Sailors on HMNZS Aotearoa perform a haka upon their return.

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.A sailor hugs a woman in front of a ship.

Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.Scroll to previous imageScroll to next image

Exercise Rimpac

HMNZS Aotearoa arrived early to Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024 (RIMPAC 2024) in Hawaii on June 23, ready to work with four other replenishment ships as part of Combined Task Force 173, RIMPAC’s combat logistics task force.

Aotearoa’s early arrival meant it could conduct Replenishment at Sea (RAS) trials with commercial tanker MV Allied Pacific, both alongside and then at sea. Being able to receive fuel from a commercial tanker while at sea was a brand-new capability for Aotearoa.

Aotearoa received a total of 13,386,000 litres of F76 Diesel Fuel and passed a total of 6,384,000 litres of F76 diesel fuel and 460,000 litres of aviation fuel to customer ships both inside and outside the exercise.

Aotearoa conducted RAS operations with 16 partner ships, including a concurrent RAS with United States destroyer USS Sterett and Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver.

A significant highlight was replenishing USS Boxer, an Amphibious Assault Ship sailing to Asia for its operational deployment.

It meant Boxer had to be stationed 45m off Aotearoa’s port beam for 8.5 hours while close to 3 million litres of diesel fuel and 350,000 litres of aviation fuel were pumped across.

It was both the longest replenishment and largest ship ever replenished by Aotearoa.

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HMNZS Aotearoa participated in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 24.

Korean Peninsula

Aotearoa’s deployment shifted to Japan and North Korea to contribute to the monitoring of United Nations Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. During its four-week involvement, Aotearoa’s role was to replenish international navy vessels patrolling the Korean Peninsula.

During the transit Aotearoa enjoyed the company of Vancouver, with both ships conducting a variety of manoeuvres and swapping crew members to experience life on board another nation’s vessel.

Aotearoa conducted port visits to Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan.

Multilateral exercises

Aotearoa continued its support of partner navies during its passage south to Singapore. It conducted replenishments and manoeuvres with South Korea, Japan, Germany, Australia, the Philippines and the United States, including taking part in a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity international exercise in the South China Sea, designed to strengthen interoperability in the maritime context. It included a concurrent replenishments with returning customer USS Boxer and USS Comstock, and with destroyers USS Howard and HMAS Sydney.

Long exposure photo of HMNZS Aoteaora conducting a replenishment at sea with two other ships.

HMNZS Aotearoa conducting a Dual-Replenishment at Sea with HMAS Sydney and USS Howard. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Sazanami sails behind. Photo: Royal Australian Navy

Taiwan Strait transit

Aotearoa sailed through the Taiwan Strait with Sydney on the afternoon of 25 September, en route to a port visit in Singapore.

Maritime Component Commander CDRE Shane Arndell said this was a routine movement from one point in the Indo-Pacific to another.

“The New Zealand Defence Force conducts all activities in accordance with international law and best practice. This was a routine activity, consistent with international law, including the right of freedom of navigation as guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

The last previous transit of the Taiwan Strait, en route to Qingdao, China was conducted by HMNZS Te Kaha in 2017.

Warships from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, U.S. and Japan Sail in Joint South China Sea Patrol 

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Aaron-Matthew Lariosa – September 29, 2024 12:17 PM

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Sazanami sails behind Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa while conducting a Dual-Replenishment at Sea with HMAS Sydney and USS Howard during a Maritime Cooperative Activity in the South China Sea on Sept. 28, 2024. Royal Australian Navy Photo

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippines held a joint patrol in the South China Sea that included forces from Japan, Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand on Saturday.

The joint patrol was the fourth multilateral maritime cooperative activity held to date. Participants included BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) , BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35) USS Howard (DDG-83), HMAS Sydney (DDG-42) , JS Sazanami (DD-113) and HMNZS Aotearoa (A-11). Naval aviation, including three helicopters and one Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, also joined the exercise. Activities, which included drills in maritime domain awareness, replenishment at sea and contact reporting, were held near the vicinity of the Philippine exclusive economic zone off Luzon.

The Australian, Japanese, and New Zealander vessels participating in the drills previously sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday to reach the South China Sea. This was the first time a Japanese ship was announced transiting the 90–mile wide strait separating Taiwan and China.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner said the patrol was in line with international law and affirmed the right of freedom of navigation and overflight.

Executive Officer HMAS Sydney, Lieutenant Commander Simone Macintosh, RAN takes a bearing as the ship approaches Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa to conduct a Replenishment at Sea on Sept. 28, 2024. RAN Photo

“The conduct of the [patrol] manifests the AFP’s dedication to strengthening partnerships and enhancing collective capabilities with like-minded nations to address emerging maritime security challenges,” reads the Philippine military press release.

On the same day of the Philippines’ joint patrol, China announced its own drills around Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing gained de facto control of following a standoff with Manila in 2012.

This joint patrol comes amid the conclusion of a standoff at Sabina Shoal, which saw Philippine Coast Guard flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) withdraw from the contested maritime feature earlier this month. According to the Philippines, the patrol ship had to depart Sabina due to low supplies, damage from a Chinese ramming incident and bad weather conditions. Despite claims from the Philippine military and Coast Guard that the shoal hasn’t been lost, it is unclear if Manila has managed to get another vessel to maintain the country’s presence at the shoal. AIS data reveals a near constant presence of Chinese forces around and within Sabina.

A brief respite occurred this week when Manila revealed that a resupply mission reached the Marine outpost onboard BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) at Second Thomas Shoal on Thursday. Philippine forces utilized MV Lapu-Lapu, a civilian boat reinforced against water cannon attacks contracted by the Navy for resupply missions, for the mission. This was the second publicly reported resupply mission since Manila and Beijing hashed out a provisional agreement regarding the resupply and personnel rotation of Philippine forces from the disputed maritime feature following a violent skirmish with Chinese Coastguardmen on June 17.

Related

Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

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Royal New Zealand Navy sustainment vessel HMNZS AOTEAROA(Source: New Zealand Ministry of Defence)

  1. From mid-August to mid-September, Royal New Zealand Navy sustainment vessel HMNZS AOTEAROA conducted monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), in waters surrounding Japan. It was the first time Royal New Zealand Navy ships to engaged in these activities.
  2. Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs in solidarity with the international community toward the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.
  3. As Japan has also been conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected of violating the UNSCRs, Japan works closely with relevant countries and international organizations, including New Zealand.

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JS SENDAI conducted a Japan-New Zealand bilateral exercise.

JS SENDAI conducted a Japan-New Zealand bilateral exercise with Royal New Zealand Navy HMNZS AOTEAROA in the East China Sea.
New Zealand is Japan’s important partner to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law, and we are working together through various opportunities, such as monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean vessels.
The Commanding officer of JS SENDAI, CDR YODA Masahiko said, “Through the exercise, we improved our tactical capabilities and strengthened cooperation with the Royal New Zealand Navy. We also contributed to maintaining the rules-based international order by demonstrating our opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the waters surrounding our country in order to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”
The Self Defense Fleet maintains readiness and contributes to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, not only for the defense of Japan but also for the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” in cooperation with allied and like-minded navies.