Editing New Zealand Defence Force (section)

{{Short description|Combined military forces of New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox national military
| name = New Zealand Defence Force
| native_name = {{native name|mi|Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa}}
| image = [[File:New Zealand Defence Force logo.svg|200px]]
| alt = 
| caption = The NZDF Tri-Service logo
| image2 = 
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| motto = 
| founded = 1909
| current_form = 1990
| disbanded = 
| branches = {{Ublist
|{{navy|New Zealand}}
|{{army|New Zealand}}
|{{air force|New Zealand}}
}}
| headquarters = [[Wellington]]
| flying_hours = 
| website = {{Official URL}}
<!-- Leadership -->| commander-in-chief = [[Monarchy of New Zealand|King]] [[Charles III]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[Head of the Armed Forces (New Zealand) | Head of the Armed Forces]]
| chief minister = [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]] [[Cindy Kiro]]
| chief minister_title = [[Governor General of New Zealand|Commander in Chief]]
| minister = [[Christopher Luxon]]
| minister_title = [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]]
| chief_of_staff = [[Judith Collins]]
| chief_of_staff_title = [[Minister of Defence (New Zealand)|Minister of Defence]]
<!-- Manpower -->| age = {{Ublist
|17 with parental consent; cannot be deployed until 18 ({{as of|September 2017}})<ref name="Service_Age">{{cite web |title= New Zealand Defence Act 1990 |date= 1 September 2017 |url = http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0028/latest/DLM206039.html?search=sw_096be8ed8165d999_age_25_se&p=1 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180217083156/http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0028/latest/whole.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 17 February 2018}}</ref>
|18 for voluntary service
}}
| conscription = 
| manpower_data = 
| manpower_age = 20–49<ref>{{cite web |url = http://archive.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Browse%20for%20stats/NationalPopulationEstimates/HOTPAt30Jun17/npe-jun17-tables.xlsx |title = Table 3: Estimated residential population by five-year age group |year = 2017 |publisher=New Zealand Ministry of Statistics }}</ref>
| available = 955,640
| available_f = 981,050
| fit = 
| fit_f = 
| reaching = 
| reaching_f = 
| active = 10,037 (June 2024)<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title= NZDF Website About |date= 2021|url = https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/search/SearchForm/?Search=NZDF+ANNUAL+REPORT  |access-date= 18 December 2024 }}</ref>
| ranked = 
| reserve = 3,281 (June 2024)<ref name="auto" />
| deployed = <!-- Financial -->
| amount = Total budget for 2022/23<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/summary-tables/summary-tables-estimates-appropriations-2022-23 |title=Total Appropriations for Each Vote |work=Budget 2022/23 |date=19 May 2022 |publisher=The Treasury |access-date=5 June 2022 }}</ref><br />''Vote Defence Force (NZD)''<br />$4,286,638,000
| percent_GDP = 1.3%<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/new-zealand/#military-and-security |title= The World Factbook |website=Cia.gov |access-date= 2022-05-04 }}</ref>
<!-- Industrial -->| domestic_suppliers = 
| foreign_suppliers = {{Ublist
|{{flag|Australia}}
|{{flag|Austria}}
|{{flag|Belgium}}
|{{flag|Canada}}
|{{flag|Italy}}
|{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|{{flag|United States}}
|{{flag|South Korea}}
}}
| imports = 
| exports = <!-- Related articles -->
| history = [[Military history of New Zealand]]
| ranks = [[New Zealand military ranks]]
| commander = [[Air Marshal]] Tony Davies {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM}}
| commander_title = [[Chief of Defence Force (New Zealand)|Chief of Defence Force]]
}}

The '''New Zealand Defence Force''' ('''NZDF'''; {{langx|mi|Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa}}, {{abbr|lit.|literally}} "Line of Defence of New Zealand") is the three-branched [[military]] of [[New Zealand]]. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the [[national security]] of New Zealand and its [[Realm of New Zealand|realm]], promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, as well as supporting peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. It consists of three services: the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] (RNZN), the [[New Zealand Army]] and the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] (RNZAF), as well as tri-service components. As of June 2024, the NZDF has a strength of 15,383 employees, consisting of 10,037 regular force personnel, 3,281 reserve force personnel and 3,294 civilian members.<ref name="auto"/> It is supported by the [[Ministry of Defence (New Zealand)|New Zealand Ministry of Defence]] (MOD) and is commanded by the [[Chief of Defence Force (New Zealand)|Chief of Defence Force]] (CDF).

The principal roles and tasks expected of the NZDF is to provide a [[combat]] capable force to defend New Zealand's [[sovereign territory]], and protect critical lines of communication. To provide [[Civil defense|civil defence]] support, meet [[Whole-of-government approach|whole-of-government]] security objectives, as well as commitments to allies and partners, support government agencies, protect and promote regional peace, security and resilience in the [[Indo-Pacific|South Pacific]], and uphold the international rules-based order.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=NZDF Strategic Plan: 2019–2025 |url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/assets/Uploads/DocumentLibrary/NZDF-Strategic-Plan-2019-2025-v2.pdf |website=NZDF}}</ref>

The NZDF delivers [[Military|military effects]] in support of New Zealand’s [[National security|national security objectives]]. It follows a government set [[Military policy|defence policy]] framework that defines its principles, outcomes and priorities. The NZDF is a critical component of New Zealand’s national security system. New Zealand takes an "all-hazards" approach to national security that brings [[Government agency|government agencies]] together to respond to all risks to national security, whether internal or external, human, natural or artificial.<ref name=":1"/> 

The [[commander-in-chief]] is the [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]] (as the representative of the [[King of New Zealand]]). Control of the NZDF is under the [[Minister of Defence (New Zealand)|Minister of Defence]], under the [[Defence Act 1990]].<ref>{{citation |url= http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1983/0225/latest/DLM90804.html|last=Elizabeth II| author-link=Elizabeth II| title=Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor-General of New Zealand| date=28 October 1983| publisher=Parliamentary Counsel Office|access-date=23 October 2018|quote=We do hereby constitute, order, and declare that there shall be, in and over Our Realm of New Zealand … a Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief}}</ref> The current Governor-General is [[Cindy Kiro]], and the Minister of Defence is [[Judith Collins]].

[[Air Marshal]] Tony Davies was appointed Chief of Defence Force on 6 June 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Change of Command Ceremony for the Chief of the Defence Force |url=https://gg.govt.nz/governor-general/blog/2024/06/change-command-ceremony-chief-defence-force |website=gg.govt.nz |publisher=[[Government House, Wellington|Government House]] |access-date=6 June 2024 |language=en |date=6 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Our people, structure and leadership |url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/who-we-are/our-people-structure-and-leadership/ |website=www.nzdf.mil.nz |publisher=[[New Zealand Defence Force]] |access-date=7 June 2024 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>