Protector class OPV

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New Zealand
HMNZS Otago
Builders:	Tenix, Williamstown
Operators:	Royal New Zealand Navy
Preceding class:	N/A
Following class:	N/A
Commissioned:	Otago to commission April 2007
Ships in Class
Ships in class:	2
Ships in active service:	Otago (P148) Wellington (P55)
Ships building:	1
Ships fitting out:	1
General Characteristics
Class type:	Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)
Displacement:	1600 tonnes
Length:	85 metres
Beam:	14 metres
Draft:	3.6 metres
Propulsion and power:	Two MAN B&W 12RK280 diesel engines with a continuous rating of 5,400 kW at 1,000 rpm
Speed:	Baseline speed 22 knots Economical speed 12 knots Loiter speed 4-10 knots
Range:	6000nm
Boats and landing craft carried:	2 x RHIB (7.74m) or 1x special forces RHIB (11m)
Capacity:	30 passengers, 1 x sea container
Complement:	35 + 10 flight personnel + 4 personnel from Government agencies
Armament:	1 x Remote Controlled MSI DS25 Stabilized Naval Gun with 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon 2 x .50 calibre machine guns Small arms
Sensors:	Fire Control: Optical
Aircraft complement:	1 x SH-2G Seasprite helicopter. Can be armed with a combination of homing torpedoes, depth charges, Maverick Air to Surface missiles, M60 Machine Gun.
Aircraft facilities:	Hangar for Seasprite

The Protector class OPV is to be an off-shore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

1 Key Dates
2 Design origin
3 Names
4 Characteristics
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Key Dates

July 2002 NZ MoD issues Invitation to Register (ITR)
29 July 2004 Project Protector contract signed between NZ MoD and Tenix Defence. OPVs to be built at Tenix's Williamstown Yard, Victoria, Australia with modules barged across the Tasman from Tenix's Whangarei, New Zealand shipbuilding facility.
22 February 2005 First OPV steel cut
December 2005 OPV1 keel laid
31 March 2006 Future commissioned names announced - OPV1 to be HMNZS Otago (P148) and OPV2 to be HMNZS Wellington (P55)
18 November 2006 HMNZ Otago Launched (Video [1])
April 2007 planned delivery OPV1 to RNZN
October 2007 planned delivery OPV2 to RNZN

[edit] Design origin

Conceived as part of Project Protector, the Ministry of Defence acquisition project to acquire 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.

Variations of the OPV design are in service with the Irish Naval Service (since 1999) and the Mauritian Coast Guard (since 1996). The vessel is compliant with all of the operational requirements for patrol and response, cargo carriage and handling, sea keeping for sea boat and helicopter operations, and has a high level of comfort for crew and client agency officials.

[edit] Names

On 31 March 2006 the Hon. Phil Goff, Minister of Defence, announced that the OPVs will be named HMNZS Otago and HMNZS Wellington. Otago and Wellington are the names of frigates previously operated by the RNZN. These ships will carry the honour board of their predecessors, and the heritage so represented.

An NZDF media release on 31 March 2006 gave pennant numbers for HMNZS Otago (P148) and HMNZS Wellington(P55).

[edit] Characteristics

[edit] EEZ patrol and response

Sea boat deployment and recovery in sea state 4 (seas moderate, waves 1.25 - 2.5m)
Helicopter launch and recovery in sea state 5 (seas rough, waves 2.5 - 4m)
Vertrep in sea state 6 (seas very rough, waves 4 - 6m)
Ability to patrol in sea state 6 and survive in sea state 9 (seas phenomenal, waves over 14m)

[edit] Ice strengthening

Strengthened to provide ice class 1C protection.
Involved strengthening the bow section, ice belt region, fin stabilisers, propulsion shaftline and the propellers.

[edit] Crew ranks and appointments

According to Written Question 01976 to the Minister of Defence, the ranks and appointments of the OPV will be as follows:

Rank	Appointment	Position	Service
LT CDR	CO	Commanding Officer	Navy
LT CDR/LT	XO	Executive Officer	Navy
LT/SLT	NO	Navigation Officer	Navy
LT/SLT/ENS	BWK	Bridge Watchkeeper	Navy
LT/SLT/ENS	SO	Bridge Watchkeeper	Navy
LT	EO	Engineering Officer	Navy
CPO	PMM	Plant and Maintenance Manager	Navy
PO	ESCMM	Propulsion and Aux. POS Supervisor	Navy
L	PHASM	Prop, HVAC & Aux. Systems Maintainer	Navy
L	ESM	Electrical Systems Maintainer	Navy
A	PHASM	Prop, HVAC & Aux. Systems Maintainer	Navy
A	ESM	Electrical Systems Maintainer	Navy
PO	Snr Elec Tech	Senior Electronics Technician	Navy
L	Elec Tech	Electronics Technician	Navy
L	Weapons Tech	Weapons Technician	Navy
A	Elec Tech	Electronics Technician	Navy
PO	Snr Chef	Catering Manager	Navy
A	Chef WK	Watchkeeping Chef	Navy
A	Chef WK	Watchkeeping Chef	Navy
A	Chef WK	Watchkeeping Chef	Navy
L	Snr SA	Logistic Support	Navy
L	Medic	Medical Support	Navy
CPO	CBM	IC Seaman Evolutions	Navy
PO	Comcen Sup	Communications Supervisor	Navy
A	COM	Communications Operator	Navy
A	COM	Communications Operator	Navy
PO	Ops Rm Sup	Ops. Room Supervisor/CBM’s Assistant	Navy
A	Ops Room AB	Ops Room Operator	Navy
A	Ops Room AB	Ops Room Operator	Navy
L	POS, BP, Evo	Maintenance Team Leader	Navy
L	POS, BP, Evo,	Maintenance Team Leader	Navy
A	AB	Quartermaster	Navy
A	AB	Quartermaster	Navy
A	AB	Quartermaster	Navy
A	AB	Quartermaster	Navy
M Fish		Boarding	Civilian
M Fish		Boarding	Civilian
Customs		Boarding	Civilian
Customs		Boarding	Civilian
LT CDR	FLTCDR	Flight Commander	Navy
LT	PLT/OBS	Pilot/Observer	Navy
LH/CPO	AC	Aircrewman	Navy
FSGT	SMR	Senior Maintenance Rating	Air Force
SGT	AT	Aircraft Technician	Air Force
CPL	AT	Aircraft Technician	Air Force
CPL	AT	Aircraft Technician	Air Force
SGT	SAVTECH	Senior Avionics Technician	Air Force
CPL	AVTECH	Avionics Technician	Air Force
SGT	ARMR	Armourer Technician	Air Force