Protector class offshore patrol vessel
HMNZS Wellington in September 2010
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Protector class |
| Builders: | Tenix, Williamstown |
| Operators: |
 Royal New Zealand Navy
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| Cost: | $110 million per vessel |
| In commission: | 2010 |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Active: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Offshore patrol vessel |
| Displacement: | 1,900 tonnes |
| Length: | 85 m (278 ft 10 in) |
| Beam: | 14 m (45 ft 11 in) |
| Draft: | 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Endurance: | 21 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
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| Capacity: | 30 passengers, 3 × 20 ft sea container, 1 × 16 tonne, 9-metre crane aft |
| Complement: | 35 + 10 flight personnel + 4 personnel from Government agencies |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Fire control: Optical |
| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 1 x Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter. Can be armed with a combination of homing torpedoes, depth charges, Maverick Air to Surface missiles, AGM119 Penguin 2 ASM M60 Machine Gun. 1 x A109 light utility helicopter (alternative to Seasprite) |
| Aviation facilities: | Hangar for Seasprite or A109 |
The Protector-class offshore patrol vessel (also known as the Otago class) is a ship class of two offshore patrol vessel (OPVs) operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) since 2010. The ships are named HMNZS Otago and HMNZS Wellington.
The Ministry of Defence issued invitations to register in July 2002 and signed a contract with Tenix Defence (later BAE Systems) in July 2004. The first steel was cut in February 2005 and the first OPV HMNZS Otago was launched on 18 November 2006 in Melbourne, Victoria.
The original planned delivery date for HMNZS Otago was April 2007, this was then revised to early 2008. HMNZS Wellington was launched on 27 October 2007 with an original delivery date of May / June 2008.
While the ships are capable of carrying the SH-2G Seasprite on 30 October 2007 the NZDF announced the acquisition by NZDF of A109 light utility helicopter for training and deployment on RNZN ships including OPVs.
In September 2008 the Minister of Defence announced delays in delivery of the two OPVs due to questions regarding the ships' seaboats and Lloyds Certification. He says the issue is under negotiation with BAE (ex-Tenix). In May 2009, mediation between the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems commenced, with the main issue being the estimated 300 tonnes increase in weight which could cause potential hazard when OPVs are in ice in Antarctica as the weight increased over the life of the vessels.
On the 18 February 2010 Otago was accepted into the Royal New Zealand Navy. NZ Ministry of Defence claimed the overweight issue was not as bad as previously thought, but "weight will have to be carefully monitored during the ship's life". The vessel was scheduled to arrive at Devonport (Auckland) Naval Base on 26 March 2010. Wellington was accepted on 6 May 2010 and arrived at Devonport later that month. HMNZS Otago arrived at Devonport Naval Base after further delay in Australia due to engine problems, which were fixed under warranty.
Conceived as part of Project Protector, the Ministry of Defence project consisted of acquiring one multi-role vessel, two offshore and four inshore patrol vessels. The Project Protector vessels will be operated by the RNZN to conduct tasks for and with the New Zealand Customs Service, the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime New Zealand, and New Zealand Police. The Government and Navy policy was the OPVs are intended to carry out resource protection functions in the EEZ, South Pacific and Southern Ocean, to free the two Anzac-class frigates for other needs. However, with the capability to carry and sustain a missile armed RNZN helicopter they do have limited higher contingency capability.
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Wikipedia