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Defence mulls over whether to follow in Australia's footsteps for navy contracts

HMNZS Te Mana. Photo: Supplied/ NZ Defence Force No decisions have been made on the make-up of the country's naval fleet, the Ministry of Defence says. Australia has picked Japan to build its next fleet of warships in contracts worth billions of dollars . New Zealand has a policy of buying equipment like Australia's, to stay "interoperable". The ministry said it was investigating a range of options to replace the ageing fleet after 2029. "No decisions have been made on the make-up of New Zealand's maritime fleet." Business cases would have to be done. "Key considerations when developing a business case include: what is the Australian approach, and is there any reason for New Zealand to take a different approach." The defence capability plan has a focus on naval drones between now and 2029, and Budget 2025 puts upgrades to Devonport naval base and buying $2 billion-plus of maritime helicopters to the fore. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.