No decisions have been made on the make-up of the New Zealand’s naval fleet, the New Zealand’s 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 New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence 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.