Navy veterans criticise downsize decision

The frigate Canterbury is retired from service tomorrow. Picture / Royal New Zealand Navy

The Government was wrong to downsize the navy's fleet of combat warships, two former chiefs of navy say.

Michael Saull and Somerford Teagle, both former commanding officers of the old Leander-class frigate Canterbury which retires tomorrow, said New Zealand needed more warships.

Mr Saull, Canterbury's first commanding officer in 1971 and chief of navy from 1980 to 1983, said New Zealand needed at least four frigates.

When Canterbury was taken out of commission tomorrow after 34 years, it would leave New Zealand with only two warships, he said.

"I belong to the old school. I believe a minimum of four combat ships is sustainable," Mr Saull said.

"I recognise the Government's right to decide what it wants to do but I think it got it wrong.

"The effect is that the navy is leaning more towards being a coastguard than being a combat navy."

Having only two warships meant "making a guess" that the ships would be available when they were needed, he said.

Part of Mr Saull's navy service was during the Korean War when New Zealand had six Loch-class anti-submarine frigates and two light cruisers, with a third in reserve.

He said once Canterbury was retired the navy would also go through a difficult time because it had no training ships. It was very hard to replicate on land what happened at sea for sailors under training.

"They are putting a very brave face on and I admire them for that.

"It is a very difficult problem for the navy hierarchy to determine what they are going to do and they have to conform to the Government's requirements."

Mr Saull said many retired navy men would agree the navy was moving away from being a combat navy and becoming a peacekeeping navy.

"In an island nation we still have to have a combat capability at sea," he said.

He said one of the problems was that very few politicians had military experience and Parliament lacked a core of people "who stand up and are counted".

New Zealand needed to "march in step" with Australia on military issues.

"Ultimately we are going to have to work together and the Australians have been very good so far in trying to make sure that they help us as much as they can.

"They are a very important ally. The only one we can really rely on is the Australians."

He said with two relatively new frigates, New Zealand must start planning now for their replacement in 10 or 15 years.

Mr Teagle, also a former commanding officer on Canterbury , said two combat warships when Canterbury retired was not enough.

"There should be at least three combat ships so we are capable of making a safe contribution to any international initiative we want to take."

He said participating in United Nations operations such as the commitment to the war against terrorism in the Arabian Gulf, meant sending a fully operational combat warship capable of looking after itself.

"If you want to be able to do that without killing everybody in terms of energy and without driving the systems into the ground, you really need three (warships)," Mr Teagle said.

- NZPA