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Welcome to the Summer 2018-19 issue of Line of Defence Magazine. With 2018 drawing to a close, were proud to not only be publishing the 10th edition of Line of Defence but also to be launching our new and enhanced website – www.defsec.net.nz
In Defence, Line of Defence’s editor-at-large Dr Peter Greener interviews Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, about the challenges facing the NZDF, the opportunities posed by emerging technologies, industry engagement, and his top priorities going forward.
Minister Ron Mark writes that climate change assessment will inform the review of the Defence Capability Plan and that Defence Estate Regeneration will be in a positive, ‘future-proofed’ position during the current government term. Opposition Defence Spokesperson Mark Mitchell opines that although the P8 decision was a highlight for 2018, a delayed Capability Plan review is causing uncertainty ahead of Budget 2019.
In this issue we hear from aircraft manufacturer Embraer as its breakthrough KC-390 airlifter sits poised to receive Final Operating Capability (FOC) Certification, and GA-ASI explains why its SeaGuardian RPAS is the persistent multi-role, multi-environment ISR platform for New Zealand. We’re also joined again by Director of Triplex Consulting Ross Browne, who writes that New Zealand’s defence procurement system is optimised to reduce risk and novelty, but that it needs to do the opposite if it aspires to support innovation.
The NZDIA Annual Forum held recently in Palmerston North was again a fantastic success, and the NZDIA is to be congratulated for hosting – and improving – this critically important event. In what has become a perennial feature of the forum, protestors again went to great lengths to disrupt proceedings. Witnessing the protest action prompted forum presenter Dr Wil Hoverd to offer his reflections, penning an article that makes for confronting reading. Dialogue, he argues, is the only real option for breaking the cycle and bringing greater stability and certainty to the staging of the forum.
In National Security, former defence minister Dr Wayne Mapp comments that the key foreign policy test for the government over the next two years is whether New Zealand can maintain the balance of its relationships with China and the US. In his commentary on the Defence Assessment on Climate Change and Security and Strategic Defence Policy Statement Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies Director Professor Rouben Azizian doesn’t have to read between too many lines to see China as a common theme and target.
In Border Security, we are delighted to be featuring an extensive interview with internationally recognised aviation security and behavioural analysis expert Philip Baum, and we delve into the delicate area of machine decision making by immigration authorities.
Season’s Greetings and I look forward to engaging with you in 2019I
Nicholas Dynon
Auckland
How do you download the pdf version? The digital version does not format properly when coming through my firm’s website.
Hi John, we can email you a PDF.