Editing New Zealand Defence Force (section)

==History ==
{{See also|Military history of New Zealand}}

===Militia (1845–1886)===
{{Main|New Zealand Wars}}

After the [[Treaty of Waitangi]] in 1840, New Zealand's security was dependent on [[British Army|British Imperial troops]] deployed from [[Australia]] and other parts of the empire. By 1841 the settlers, particularly those in the [[New Zealand Company]] settlement of [[Wellington]], were calling for local militia to be formed.<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator'', Vol 14 issue 70, 14 August 1841, p&nbsp;2</ref> In 1843 a local militia had been formed in Wellington without official sanction.<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advisor'', Vol 1 issue 104, 28 July 1843, p&nbsp;2</ref> This prompted the Chief Police Magistrate Major Matthew Richmond to order its immediate disbandment. Richmond also dispatched 53 soldiers from the [[96th Regiment of Foot|96th Regiment]] from Auckland to Wellington.

These calls for a militia continued to grow with the [[Wairau Affray]], the start of the [[New Zealand Wars]]. The calls eventually led to a bill being introduced to the Legislative Council in 1844.<ref>Legislative Council, Daily Southern Cross, Vol 2 issue 76, 28 September 1844</ref> Those present noted their disapproval of the bill, unanimously deferring it for six months. On 22 March 1845 the [[Flagstaff War]] broke out, which proved to be the catalyst for passing the Bill.<ref>Bay of Islands, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Vol 2 issue 101, 22 March 1845, p&nbsp;2</ref>

In 1844 a [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|Select Committee]] of the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] had recommended that a militia, composed of both settlers and native [[Māori people|Maori]], and a permanent native force be set up.<ref>Mounted Police, ''New Zealander'', Volume 2, Issue 59, 18 July 1846, page&nbsp;2</ref>

On 25 March 1845, the Militia Ordinance was passed into law.<ref>Militia Ordinance, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Vol 2 issue 103, 5 April 1845, p&nbsp;2</ref> Twenty-six officers were appointed in Auckland, thereby forming the start of New Zealand's own defence force.<ref>''Daily Southern Cross'', 19 April 1845, Page 4, Government Gazette Notices.</ref> Major Richmond was appointed the commander of the Wellington Battalion of the militia.<ref>District Orders, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume I, Issue 34, 31 May 1845, Page 2</ref> The newspaper article of the time notes that Wellington had a mounted Volunteer Corp. The Nelson Battalion of Militia was formed 12 August 1845.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.theprow.org.nz/society/nelson-war-memorials/#.WmY24K6nGUk |title=Nelson's war memorials|website=www.theprow.org.nz |access-date=25 January 2018 }}</ref>

In June 1845, 75 members of the Auckland Militia under Lieutenant Figg became the first unit to support British Imperial troops in the Flagstaff War, serving as pioneers.<ref>Bay of Islands, ''New Zealander'', Volume 1, Issue 2, 14 June 1845, Page 3
</ref> Seven militia were wounded in action between 30 June and 1 July 1845. One, a man named Rily, later died of his wounds.<ref>Colonel Despard's Despatch, ''New Zealander'', Volume 1, Issue 7, 19 July 1845, Page 2</ref> The Auckland Militia was disbanded in August or early September 1845 because of budgetary constraints.<ref>Auckland, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume II, Issue 51, 27 September 1845, Page 3</ref> Disbandment of the Nelson and Wellington Militias followed much to the dismay of their supporters.<ref>Port Nicholson, ''Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle'', Volume IV, Issue 188, 11 October 1845, Page 127</ref> Those at Nelson under Captain Greenwood decided, regardless of pay or not, to continue training.<ref>Nelson Militia, ''Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle'', Volume IV, Issue 187, 4 October 1845, Page 122</ref>

Trouble in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington, in early March 1846 prompted the new Governor [[George Grey]] to proclaim [[martial law]] and call out the Hutt Militia, in what became known as the [[Hutt Valley campaign]].<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume II, Issue 74, 7 March 1846, Page 2</ref> Following on from this the local paper noted that the No 1 Company of the Wellington Militia had been called out, while the troops stationed in the town had been in the Hutt.<ref>Editorial, 'New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian', Volume II, Issue 75, 14 March 1846, Page 2
</ref> The paper further noted that Grey intended to maintain two companies of Militia in Wellington. As problems continued in the area at least 160 Militia remained.<ref>Port Nicholson,'New Zealander', Volume I, Issue 49, 9 May 1846, Page 3</ref> These were supplemented by volunteers and Māori warriors from the [[Te Aro#Te Aro Pā|Te Aro]] [[pā]].<ref>Port Nicholson, 'New Zealander', Volume 2, Issue 56, 27 June 1846, Page 3</ref>

On 28 October 1846, with the passing of the Armed Constabulary Ordinance in 1846, a fresh call was made by Mr Donnelly of the Legislature to do away with the Militia because of its expense.<ref>Legislative Council, 'New Zealander', Volume 2, Issue 74, 31 October 1846, Page 2</ref> The cost to Britain of maintaining a military force in New Zealand was considerable, prompting a dispatch on 24 November 1846 from The Right Hon [[Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] to advise Lieutenant Governor George Grey that<ref>Military, 'New Zealander', Volume 3, Issue 119, 21 July 1847, Page 3</ref>{{blockquote|the formation of a well-organised Militia and of a force of Natives in the service of Her Majesty, would appear to be the measures most likely to be successfully adopted.}} Further pressure in the early 1850s from Britain for removing their forces prompted pleas for them to remain as the Militia were deemed insufficient for the purpose.<ref>Withdrawal of the troops, 'Daily Southern Cross', Volume VI, Issue 433, 22 August 1851, Page 2</ref>

1854 brought a new threat to the attention of the colony because up to that time the military focus had been upon internal conflicts between settlers and the Māori. [[Crimean War|War]] had broken out between [[Russia]] and [[Turkey]]. This war began to involve the major European powers and exposed New Zealand and [[Australia]] to a possible external threat from the [[Imperial Russian Navy]].<ref>Letters to the Editor. Our defences, 'Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle', Volume XIII, Issue 639, 3 June 1854, Page 5</ref> Parliament discussed providing guns at ports around the country for use in the event of a war with a foreign power.<ref>Proceedings of the General Assembly, ''Taranaki Herald'', Volume V, Issue 211, 16 August 1856, Page 2</ref>

By 1858 attention had swung back to local issues with a land dispute in [[New Plymouth]] prompting Governor [[Thomas Gore Browne]] to call out its militia under Captain Charles Brown.<ref>Proclamation, ''Taranaki Herald'', Volume VI, Issue 288, 6 February 1858, Page 3</ref> A prelude to what was to become the [[First Taranaki War]] and a period of conflict in the North Island until 1872.

The newly formed [[New Zealand Parliament]] revised and expanded the Militia Ordinance, replacing it with the Militia Act 1858.<ref>Arts of the General Assembly, ''Colonist'', Issue 84, 10 August 1858, Page 4</ref> Some of the main changes were clauses enabling volunteers to be included under such terms and conditions as the Governor may specify. The act also outlined the purposes under which Militia could be called upon, including invasion. Debates in Parliament had included expressions of concern about Russian naval expansion in the northern Pacific, pointed out that the sole naval defence consisted of one 24-gun frigate, and the time it would take for Britain to come to the colony's aid.

British Imperial troops remained in New Zealand until February 1870, during the later stage of the New Zealand Wars, by which time settler units had replaced them.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/B/BritishTroopsInNewZealand/BritishTroopsInNewZealand/en |title=BRITISH TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |website=Teara.govt.nz |date=2009-04-22 |access-date=2015-06-24}}</ref>

The Defence Act 1886 reclassified the militia as volunteers. These were the forerunners of the Territorials.
===Volunteers (1858–1909)===
{{main|Volunteer Force (New Zealand)}}
Although there were informal volunteer units as early as 1845, the appropriate approval and regulation of the units did not occur until the [[Militia Act 1858]]. Those who signed up for these units were exempt from militia duty, but had to be prepared to serve anywhere in New Zealand. One of the earliest gazetted units (13 January 1859) was the [[Taranaki Regiment|Taranaki Volunteer Rifle Company]].<ref>Taranaki Volunteer Rifle Corps, ''Taranaki Herald'', Volume VII, Issue 340, 5 February 1859, Page 3</ref>

To the Volunteer Rifle Corps were added Volunteer Artillery Corps in mid-1859. The first of these Volunteer Artillery Corps were based in Auckland.<ref>Auckland, Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 71, 3 September 1859, Page 2</ref>

By late 1859 the number of volunteer units was so great that Captain H C Balneavis was appointed Deputy Adjunct-General, based at Auckland.<ref>Untitled, ''Hawke's Bay Herald'', Volume 2, Issue 103, 10 September 1859, Page 2</ref>

===Colonial Defence Force (1862–1867)===
In 1863 the government passed the Colonial Defence Force Act 1862 creating the first Regular Force. This was to be a mounted body of not more than 500 troops, with both Maori and settlers, and costing no more than 30,000 pounds per annum.<ref>Wellington – split in the Ministry, ''Otago Daily Times'', Issue 233, 18 September 1862, Page 5</ref> All were volunteers and expected to serve for three years.

Formation of the first unit did not begin until early April 1863, with 100 men being sought at New Plymouth under Captain Atkinson.<ref>(From our own correspondent), Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1782, 6 April 1863, Page 6</ref> Hawke's Bay was to have the next unit.<ref>Provincial Council, Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 376, 11 April 1863, Page 2</ref> By late April, papers were reporting few had enlisted in New Plymouth.<ref>Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 37, 25 April 1863, Page 2</ref>

Formation of an Auckland unit under Colonel Nixon commenced in July and by the 14th had 30 men.<ref>Military and volunteer movements, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1869, 14 July 1863, Page 3</ref>

====Authorised units by July 1863====
Commander: Major-General Galloway<ref>The Defence Force, ''Wellington Independent'', Volume XVII, Issue 1895, 16 July 1863, Page 2</ref><ref>Military and volunteer movements, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1870, 15 July 1863, Page 3</ref><ref>''Taranaki Herald'', Volume XII, Issue 585, 17 October 1863, Page 2</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! header 1|Location
! header 2|Authorised
! header 3|Actual
! header 4|Commander
|-
| row 1, cell 1|Auckland
| row 1, cell 2|100
| row 1, cell 3| 50
| row 1, cell 4|Lieutenant Colonel [[Marmaduke Nixon|Marmaduke George Nixon]]
|-
| row 2, cell 1|Ahuriri (Hawke's Bay)<ref>Hawke's Bay (from our own correspondent) Napier, 17 July 1863, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Volume XIX, Issue 1876, 22 July 1863, Page 3</ref>
| row 2, cell 2|100
| row 2, cell 3|100
| row 2, cell 4|Major [[George Stoddart Whitmore]]<ref>Local Intelligence, ''Hawke's Bay Herald'', Volume 6, Issue 406, 29 July 1863, Page 2</ref>
|-
| row 3, cell 1|New Plymouth
| row 3, cell 2|100
| row 3, cell 3|-
| row 3, cell 4|Captain [[Harry Atkinson|Harry Albert Atkinson]]
|-
| row 4, cell 1|Otago<ref>Local Intelligence, ''Wellington Independent'', Volume XVIII, Issue 1897, 21 July 1863, Page 2</ref>
| row 4, cell 2|50
| row 4, cell 3|
| row 4, cell 4|Mr Branigan
|-
| row 5, cell 1|Wairarapa
| row 5, cell 2| 50
| row 5, cell 3|
| rwo 5, cell 3|
|-
| row 6, cell 1|Wellington
| row 6, cell 2|100
| row 6, cell 3|
| row 6, cell 4|James Townsend Edwards<ref>Appointments, ''Wellington Independent'', Volume XVIII, Issue 1970, 15 October 1863, Page 3</ref>
|}

By October 1863 there was no Wairarapa-based defence force, and 50 were based in Wanganui.<ref>News of the Week, ''Otago Witness'', Issue 622, 30 October 1863, Page 5</ref> The Otago force had earlier been moved to Wellington, with further Otago volunteers heading for the Auckland and Hawke's Bay Units. The total Defence Force numbered 375 by 3 November 1863.<ref>House of Representatives – Tuesday, 3 November 1863, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Volume XIX, Issue 1966, 4 November 1863, Page 4</ref>

In October 1864 the Government decided to reduce the numbers in the Colonial Defence Force to 75 with three units of 25 members each in Wellington, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki.<ref>Disbanding the Defence Force, 'Wellington Independent', Volume XIX, Issue 2121, 29 October 1864, Page 3</ref> By this time there were about 10,000 British Imperial troops in New Zealand, supplemented by about as many New Zealand volunteer and militia forces. There were calls, particularly from South Island papers, for the British Imperial troops to be replaced by local forces.<ref>Imperial v. colonial troops question, Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 74, 18 November 1864, Page 3</ref> Parliamentary debates in late 1864 also supported this view, especially as the cost of maintaining the Imperial troops was becoming a greater financial burden on the colony.<ref>Parliament of New Zealand, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2298, 1 December 1864, Page 5</ref>

====Defence review, March 1865====
At the request of the governor in January 1865 a formal statement on the defence of the colony was presented on 20 March 1865. This proposed an armed constabulary force supported by friendly natives, volunteer units, and militia as the case may require be established to take the place of the Imperial troops.<ref>On the defences of the Colony, ''Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle'', Volume XXIV, Issue 51, 29 April 1865, Page 3</ref> The proposed force was to consist of 1,350 Europeans and 150 Maori – 1,500 in total. They were to be divided into 30 companies of 50 men each based as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! header 1|Province
! header 2|Location
! header 3|Number
|-
| row 1, cell 1|Auckland
| row 1, cell 2|Queens Redoubt south, between the Waikato and Waipa Rivers
| row 1, cell 3|6
|-
| row 2, cell 1|
| row 2, cell 2|From the Bluff to Pukorokoro
| row 2, cell 3|3
|-
| row 3, cell 1|
| row 3, cell 2|In reserve at Papakura or vicinity
| row 3, cell 3|3
|-
| row 4, cell 1|
| row 4, cell 2|Tauranga
| row 4, cell 3|1
|-
| row 5, cell 1|Taranaki and Wellington
| row 5, cell 2|Taranaki and Wanganui Districts
| row 5, cell 3|12
|-
| row 6, cell 1|
| row 6, cell 2|Wellington
| row 6, cell 3|1
|-
| row 7, cell 1|Hawke's Bay
| row 7, cell 2|Napier
| row 7, cell 3|4
|}
The total Defence budget, which included purchasing a steamer for use on the Waikato, Patea, and Wanganui rivers, was 187,000 pounds per annum. The budget's focus was solely on internal conflict. The issue of external conflict did not begin to resurface until the following year, with thought being given again to coastal defences.<ref>Coastal defences, 'Colonist', Volume IX, Issue 916, 13 July 1866, Page 5</ref>

The Colonial Defence Force was disbanded in October 1867 by the Armed Constabulary Act 1867. Its members transferred to the Armed Constabulary.

===Evolution of volunteers and militia===
From 1863 to 1867 Forest Ranger volunteer units were formed, tasked with searching out Maori war parties, acting as scouts, and protecting lines of communication. They arose out of the need to prevent ambushes and random attacks on civilians near forest areas.<ref>Notice to the coast natives, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1885, 1 August 1863, Page 4</ref> The Rangers were well armed and more highly paid. These units used guerrilla style tactics, moving through areas under cover of darkness and ambushing war parties. The Forest Rangers were disbanded on 1 October 1867.<ref>New Zealand Gazette, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3209, 29 October 1867, Page 4</ref>

:''See [[New Zealand Police]]''
Alongside the militia and the British Imperial forces were the Armed Constabulary. The Armed Constabulary were formed in 1846 with the passage of the Armed Constabulary Ordinance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rnza.co.nz/artillery_heritage/legislation/1846_constabulary_act.htm|title=1846 Constabulary Act|website=rnza.co.nz|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref> The Constabulary's role was both regular law enforcement and during the New Zealand Wars militia support. From 1867 to 1886 the Armed Constabulary were the only permanent force in New Zealand. In 1886 the militia functions of the Armed Constabulary were transferred to the New Zealand Permanent Militia by the Defence Act 1886. Lieutenant Colonel [[John Roberts]] was the Permanent Militia's first commander from January 1887 to his retirement in 1888.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1r12/1|title=Roberts, John Mackintosh|first=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu|last=Taonga|access-date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Henderson and the donkey.jpg|thumb|200px|Lt. Richard Alexander "Dick" Henderson, New Zealand Medical Corps, carrying a wounded soldier on a donkey during the [[Battle of Gallipoli]]]]

===Defence Act 1909===
The Defence Act 1909 replaced the Volunteer forces with a Territorial force and compulsory military training, a regime that remained until the late 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/defence-armed-services-army-new-zealand/5|title=The Territorial Force|first1=McLintock, Alexander|last1=Hare|first2=Richard Ainslie Barber, N.Z.L.A.CERT., Librarian, Army Department, Wellington.Richard Ainslie Barber, N.Z.L.A.CERT., Librarian, Army Department|last2=Wellington.|first3=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu|last3=Taonga|access-date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

===Separate services (from 1909)===
{{more citations needed section|date=February 2012}}
:''See [[Royal New Zealand Navy]], [[New Zealand Army]], [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]''
[[File:14 NZ Brigade Group landing, Point Cruz, Guadalcanal World War II (13971875862).jpg|thumb|New Zealand troops land on [[Guadalcanal]] in the Solomons.]]
Independent New Zealand armed forces developed in the early twentieth century; the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] was the last to emerge as an independent service in 1941.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/ww2/1941-rnzn/default.htm |title=1941 Royal New Zealand Navy Established |access-date=17 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017193216/http://navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/ww2/1941-rnzn/default.htm |archive-date=17 October 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Prior to that time it had been the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. New Zealand forces served alongside the British and other Empire and Commonwealth nations in [[World War I]] and [[World War II]].

The fall of [[Battle of Singapore|Singapore]] in 1942 showed that Britain could no longer protect its far-flung Dominions. Closer military ties were therefore necessary for New Zealand's defence. With United States entering the war, they were an obvious choice. Links with Australia had also been developed earlier; both nations sent troops to the [[Boer War|Anglo-Boer War]] and New Zealand officer candidates had trained at Australia's [[Royal Military College, Duntroon|Royal Military College Duntroon]] since 1911, a practice that continues to this day. A combined Australian and New Zealand Army Corps ([[ANZAC]]) was formed for the [[Gallipoli campaign]] during World War I, and its exploits are key events in the military history of both countries.

The NZDF came into existence under the [[Defence Act 1990]]. Under previous legislation, the three services were part of the Ministry of Defence. Post-1990, the Ministry of Defence is a separate, policy-making body under a Secretary of Defence, equal in status to the Chief of Defence Force.

===2020s retention and capability issues===
In 2023, ''[[North & South (New Zealand magazine)|North & South]]'' and [[Radio New Zealand]] reported that the NZDF was experiencing a high attrition rate in the two-year period between 2021 and 2023 due to poor salaries and living conditions at military accommodation.<ref name="North & South">{{cite journal |last1=McKenzie |first1=Peter |title=Defence Force Funding |journal=[[North & South (New Zealand magazine)|North & South]] |date=11 February 2023 |issue=March 2023 |url=https://northandsouth.co.nz/2023/02/11/new-zealand-defence-force/ |access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref><ref name="RNZ April 2023">{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Charlotte |title=NZ Defence Force ongoing staff shortage affected Cyclone Gabrielle response |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018884377/nz-defence-force-ongoing-staff-shortage-affected-cyclone-gabrielle-response |access-date=13 April 2023 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=3 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403070229/https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018884377/nz-defence-force-ongoing-staff-shortage-affected-cyclone-gabrielle-response |archive-date=3 April 2023}}</ref> According to ''North and South'' contributor Peter McKenzie, 77% of NZDF personnel were paid between 5% and 16% less than people in equivalent civilian jobs. By October 2022, the NZDF's military attrition rate averaged at 15.8% (ranging from 12.1% for the Navy and 17.4% for the Army).<ref name="North & South" /> In April 2023, Radio New Zealand reported that the high attrition rate had limited the NZDF's response to [[Cyclone Gabrielle]], its ability to crew three naval offshore patrol vessels, and accelerated the Air Force's decommissioning of its fleet of [[Lockheed P-3 Orion|P-3K2 Orions]]. The Chief of Defence Force [[Air Marshal]] [[Kevin Short (RNZAF officer)|Kevin Short]] also confirmed that a critical shortage of skilled trades including plumbers, electricians, carpenters, Special Forces, Navy propulsion experts and middle managers had led the Force to make two rounds of NZ$10,000 payments in an attempt to convince personnel to remain in the Defence Force.<ref name="RNZ April 2023" />

In July 2024, the NZDF confirmed that it would be investing NZ$490 million to expand and upgrade housing at the [[Waiouru Military Camp]] in partnership with local [[iwi]] (tribe) [[Ngāti Rangi]] over the next 25 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellis |first1=Moana |title=Defence Force's $490m housing upgrade for Waiouru military camp |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/16/defence-forces-490m-housing-upgrade-for-waiouru-military-camp/ |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=[[1News]] |date=16 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716001757/https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/16/defence-forces-490m-housing-upgrade-for-waiouru-military-camp/ |archive-date=16 July 2024}}</ref> In early April 2025, [[Radio New Zealand]] reported that the NZDF had dropped some [[National Certificate of Educational Achievement]] (NCEA) Level 1 and Level 2 enlistment requirements in 2024 in a bid to boost recruitment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O'Dwyer |first1=Ellen |title=NZDF drops entry requirements in bid to boost numbers |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/557355/nzdf-drops-entry-requirements-in-bid-to-boost-numbers |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408034301/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/557355/nzdf-drops-entry-requirements-in-bid-to-boost-numbers |archive-date=8 April 2025}}</ref> 

On 7 April 2025, [[Minister of Defence (New Zealand)|Defence Minister]] [[Judith Collins]] announced that the New Zealand Government would be investing NZ$12 billion (US$5 billion) in the NZDF over the next four years to boost defence spending to over 2 percent of [[gross domestic product]]. Key priorities have included investing in enhanced strike capabilities, defence housing, unmanned aerial and aquatic vehicles, replacing maritime helicopters and the [[Boeing 757]] fleet, and upgrading existing military infrastructure at [[Ohakea]] and [[Devonport, New Zealand|Devonport]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schulenburg |first=Rupert |date=12 May 2025 |title=‘Enhanced strike’ capabilities: a reckoning for New Zealand |url=https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2025/05/enhanced-strike-capabilities-a-reckoning-for-new-zealand/ |website=International Institute for Strategic Studies}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Anneke |title=Government unveils $12 billion Defence Capability Plan |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/557432/government-unveils-12-billion-defence-capability-plan |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407083650/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/557432/government-unveils-12-billion-defence-capability-plan |archive-date=7 April 2025}}</ref><ref name="AFP Star 4 May 2025">{{cite news |title=New Zealand to replace navy helicopters over 'global tensions' |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/05/04/new-zealand-to-replace-navy-helicopters-over-039global-tensions039 |access-date=7 May 2025 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=4 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504074915/https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/05/04/new-zealand-to-replace-navy-helicopters-over-039global-tensions039 |archive-date=4 May 2025}}</ref> On 6 May 2025, Collins confirmed that the Government would allocate NZ$2 billion (US$1.2 billion) from this defence funding allocation to purchasing new maritime helicopters for the Royal New Zealand Navy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Judith |title=New helicopters a commitment to global security |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-helicopters-commitment-global-security |website=Beehive.govt.nz |publisher=[[New Zealand Government]] |access-date=7 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504111411/https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-helicopters-commitment-global-security |archive-date=4 May 2025 |date=4 May 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AFP Star 4 May 2025" />