First light armoured vehicles due in NZ next month

6pm

Seven light armoured vehicles (LAV3s), the first in an army transport upgrade, are due to arrive in Auckland on August 10, Defence Minister Mark Burton said today.

Prime Minister Helen Clark signed up for 105 LAV3 vehicles in January 2001 with General Motors of Canada.

The first delivery was to have taken place in February, but was delayed so that latest generation turrets could be installed, Mr Burton said.

Deliveries would continue bi-monthly, with the last of the machines arriving in November 2004.

"We expect the first company group of 14 LAV3s to be deployment-ready by December 2004, with the first full battalion group of up to 51 LAV3s ready for overseas deployment by December 2005," Mr Burton said.

It was expected 50 vehicles would go to Linton, 40 to Burnham, 10 to the Army Training Group at Waiouru, and five to the Trade Training School at Trentham.

The final cost of the LAV3s to taxpayers was $677.46 million, instead of the $212 million originally budgeted for by the previous National-led government.

Delays in the purchase process caused the price tag to skyrocket as the New Zealand dollar tumbled against US and Canadian currencies.

Mr Burton said the vehicles were a fundamental part of taking a "1960s-equipped" army into the 21st century.

The LAV3 was used by defence forces such as Canada, the United States, Denmark and Sweden, he said.

It would offer the New Zealand Defence Force greater flexibility and capability.

It had a 25-year lifespan, and features could be upgraded over its lifespan.

Mr Burton confirmed to Parliament that the Government planned to update the public on the extent of New Zealand military.

Asked by National Party MP Simon Power whether that would take place "by way of a white paper or similar document", Mr Burton said yes.

"The key thing is, of course, that there is a long-term development plan," Mr Burton said.

"It does lay out a comprehensive systematic acquisition programme in keeping with the policy framework that this Government published in 2000."

Earlier Power said in a statement that the Government's "idealistic approach" to New Zealand's defence was leaving the country "drastically under-resourced".

"The Government is cynically using Kiwi troops to mend the fences with our traditional friends and allies, but it isn't prepared to give them the tools they need to do the job," he said.


"Reports today say there are big shortages at many levels of the Army, Navy and Airforce and promised new equipment has yet to arrive. There have been previous reports of a staffing crisis which show our defence forces have an attrition rate of nearly twice that of Canada.

"It has also been suggested that the Army will struggle to man the new Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV 3's) that are due for delivery in September.

"Just last month Defence Minister Mark Burton was in Australia promising that New Zealand would work more closely with our nearest neighbour. That's going to be tough, as the Governments of New Zealand and Australia have hugely different views on defence," he said.

Power said that while Australia was spending $15.8 billion on defence over the next five years, the NZ government was "spending just $1.9 billion".

- NZPA, HERALD STAFF