National MP Murray McCully has again lambasted several new Defence projects in the wake of last week’s NZ Defence Force annual report which he says reveals “gaping holes” in defence capability. The MRV Canterbury faces huge questions about equipment and capability. It is unable to perform operations. The Navy’s six new patrol boats, (four in-shore and two off-shore) still can’t pass their Lloyds survey and are therefore unable to be delivered. The Air Force’s two 757s have been out of circulation since last November. Only two of the Navy’s five Seasprite helicopters are fully in service. Army units are staffed as low as 39% while land combat forces are partially prepared for low-level conflicts only and the Army is not prepared for higher threat situations. The Army cannot provide logistic and medical support or a sustainable Engineer Squadron, a Signals Squadron or a Military Police Platoon to support an Infantry Battalion. There are insufficient personnel to sustain the Maritime Patrol Fleet on continuous operations. McCully says this makes “very grim reading indeed.”

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