Kia ora and welcome to the Autumn 2022 issue of Line of Defence Magazine! With this issue we start the year in the wake of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, divisive protests at home, and the apparent end of Managed Isolation and Quarantine.
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It’s shaping up to be a year that’s proving Defence Assessment 2021 (DA21) to be bang on the money: “New Zealand faces a substantially more challenging and complex strategic environment than it has for decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified, not displaced, the impacts of other, longer-term strategic trends.”
For senior contributor Hon Dr Wayne Mapp QSO, the Russian invasion of Ukraine starkly illustrates DA21’s prediction that strategic competition will become sharper. “The logical imperative for New Zealand is that it is necessary to increase New Zealand’s military preparedness, he writes, “both for our own protection, but also to be viewed as a credible partner, particularly among our most long-standing friends and partners.”
If we needed further analysis confirming the acceleration in international insecurity, it’s provided in this issue with an excellent interview of Global Peace Index creator Steve Kilelea AM. The GPI, which scores 163 countries according to their levels of peacefulness, has ranked New Zealand 2nd most peaceful, but for the world generally its assessment is sobering.
And it’s not just humans that are causing their own insecurity… natural disasters have been stealing headlines. In their inaugural editorial contributions to LoD, Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare MP and Opposition Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans Tim van de Molen MP find common ground on the topic of the Tonga eruption and the NZDF’s HADR efforts in support of our neighbours.
On that note, LoD sponsor GA-ASI’s article on the potential capabilities offered by the MQ-9B SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System in response to such as disaster, is well worth a read.
Also in this issue, we feature the latest maritime instalment by former RNZN Captain Andrew Watts who argues that a proactive defence strategy focussed on the Pacific – as highlighted in DA21 – requires a higher level of persistent presence and more flexible platforms – more so than is currently the case.
The concept of ‘persistent presence’ is echoed in our coverage of the Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Spey’s delivery of COVID vaccines to the Pitcairn Islands. Spey is the first Royal Navy vessel to visit the remote British Overseas Territory in four years, but it looks like the Pacific will now be seeing a lot more of the White Ensign.
In a nod to International Women’s Day, we’re proud to be featuring an excellent piece from LoD sponsor Serco Defence on Serco women making a difference in STEM. We’re also excited to be shining a spotlight on Nova System’s recent refresh.
As always, a special thanks to our sponsors who have made this issue of LoD possible: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Serco Defence, Nova Systems, and Tactical Solutions.
Nicholas Dynon, Auckland.
