Following on from the launch of the Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) in February, the announcement in March by the Minister of Defence of the names of the PROTECTOR ships, is another significant 'way point' as we move towards their delivery.
The MRV can now be referred to as CANTERBURY, the two 'Protector'-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) as WELLINGTON and OTAGO, and the four Lake-class Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) as TAUPO, ROTOITI, HAWEA and PUKAKI. These ship names have a proud and distinguished history with the Navy.
The names are also important in telling the Navy's story because they trace our evolution from the loch-class frigates that were the core combat component of our fleet from the mid-1940's until the early 1960's, to the Type 12s that replaced them - and then to the LEANDERs that replaced the Type 12s.
CANTERBURY was our last Leander-class frigate. The ship's 'record of service' included operational deployments to the Middle East, Bougainville and East Timor (Timor Leste).
WELLINGTON had operational deployments to the Middle East and to Bougainville for Operation BIG TALK.
OTAGO was a Type 12 Whitby-class frigate - the predecessor of the LEANDERs; the Type 12s did not have an embarked helicopter.
The names of our four IPVs are derived from the names of the LOCH Class frigates that served in Korean waters during the Korean War. TAUPO and HAWEA each deployed once to Korea, and ROTOITI and PUKAKI each deployed twice. In fact, PUKAKI - along with another Loch, HMNZS TUTIRA, was New Zealand's initial contribution to that war - and New Zealand's first contribution to a United Nations' enforcement action.
The same names, TAUPO, ROTOITI, HAWEA and PUKAKI, were also allocated to the Lake-class patrol craft that carried out resourse protection tasks around our coast between the mid-1970s and the 1980s. Noting the primary role of the IPVs, this reinforces the point that this is 'old work in new ships'.
The Navy has a long history of doing work that many New Zealanders may be unaware of - work that is associated with the ships after which the PROTECTOR ships are named. Sometimes, too, they have conducted missions that appear to be 'flip sides' of the same coin.
For example, in 1957 PUKAKI and ROTOITI deployed to the South Pacific to act as weather ships for British nuclear tests at Christmas Island. Sixteen years later both CANTERBURY and OTAGO deployed to Mururoa in 1973 to focus world attention on atmospheric nuclear testing in the South Pacific.
The Navy has a long history of supporting our engagement in Antarctica. In the early days of flights to 'the ice' the dlochs played a critical role in conducting weather patrols at latitude 60 degrees South in support of Operation DEEP FREEZE.
In addition to using the ships' names to recognise our heritage, Pennant Numbers have also been used to provide a link to our past. The new CANTERBURY will have her old number and is acssigned L421, the new WELLINGTON takes WAIKATO's number and is given P55, while OTAGO as P148 takes the number of the old OTAGO's sister ship, TARANAKI.
The IPVs will have the same pennant numbers as the Lake-class patrol craft of the same name.
During the process of deciding the names, I had a number of conversations with the Minister of Defence about various options during which he made it clear to me that it was very important that the selected names would be 'acceptable' to the Navy.
I believe that these names are just that. Furthermore, especially important in this the Year of the Veteran, I believe they will bring a great deal of pleasure to the many Sailors who have served in the ships after which they are named; Sailors who are central characters in our story - and whose contribution now has a platform on which it can be appropriately recognised.
(Taken from Navy Today (109) April 06)
