List of equipment of the New Zealand Army
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This is a list of equipment of the New Zealand Army currently in use. It includes small arms, combat vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, artillery and transport vehicles. The New Zealand Army is the principal land warfare force of New Zealand, a part of the New Zealand Defence Force. Since the ANZUS breakup and the end of the Cold War, the New Zealand Army has been deployed to a number of conflict zones, often as part of a coalition force or part of a United Nations peacekeeping operation.
Infantry section equipment[]
A standard New Zealand infantry section consists of ten soldiers, divided into two five-men infantry fireteams. While equipment formations can be tailored as required by section and platoon commanders, infantry sections are usually issued with the following:[1]
Weapons[]
- Eight LMT MARS-L rifles, two of which are usually equipped with an M203 under-barrel grenade launcher.
- One LMT 308 MWS designated marksman rifle.
- One FN Maximi light machine gun.
- Nine M7 bayonets for use with LMT MARS-L and LMT 308 MWS rifles.
Vision systems[]
- Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) to be used with the LMT MARS-L rifle.
- Leupold & Stevens Mark 6 telescopic sight to be used with the LMT 308 MWS designated marksman rifle.
- Dueck Defense rapid transition sight to be used with the LMT 308 MWS designated marksman rifle.
Uniforms[]
Weapons[]
Pistols[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glock 17 | Austria | Semi-automatic pistol | 9x19mm Parabellum | Standard issue pistol. Glock 17, 4th gen. |
Infantry rifles[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LMT MARS-L | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Adopted in 2015 to replace the Steyr AUG as the standard service rifle of the New Zealand Army. This weapon comes in 2 different barrel lengths and can take many modular attachments hence the name given by the NZDF to this rifle the Modular Assault Rifle System - Light (this is the same with LMT's own MARS-L, but is referred as the Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System - Light instead for its US civilian models). The rifle is generally equipped with the Trijicon ACOG scope with an RMR red dot mounted on top. Most recent design upgrade with enhanced features based on the AR-15/M4/M-16 family of firearms. | |
M4 carbine | United States | Carbine | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by New Zealand Special Air Service.[2][3][4] | |
F88 Austeyr | Austria Australia |
Bullpup assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used from 1988 until 2017. The first 5,000 weapons delivered were manufactured in Austria by Steyr Daimler Puch. The majority of weapons now in service are the Australian ADI-made Austeyr F88 variant. It is called the IW Steyr (Individual Weapon Steyr) in service of the New Zealand Defence Force.[5] On 12 August 2015 it was announced the Lewis Machine Tools 5.56 mm MARS-L will replace the Steyr AUG.[6] |
Bayonet[]
Name | Origin | Type | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
M7 bayonet | United States | Socket bayonet |
Precision rifles[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LMT 308 MWS | United States | Battle rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | The New Zealand Army adopted the rifle in October 2011. It differs from its UK counterpart in the use of a Leupold adjustable 4.5-14× scope, canted iron sights and a foldable foregrip. | |
Barrett M107A1 | United States | Anti-materiel sniper rifle | .50 BMG | A semi-automatic sniper and anti-materiel rifle chambered in .50 BMG.[7] M107A1 to be introduced in 2018 [8] | |
Barrett MRAD | United States | Bolt action sniper rifle | .338 Lapua Magnum | Introduced in 2018 to replace the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare 7.62×51mm bolt action sniper rifle.[9] Equipped with an ATACR 5-25×56 F1 Nightforce scope. Dual calibre configuration with 7.62×51mm NATO for training and .338 Lapua Magnum for operations.[10] |
Machine guns[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimi | Belgium | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm NATO | The New Zealand Defence Force uses the Minimi under the designation C9 Minimi. This gun has been used as the Army's Light Support Weapon (LSW) since 1988.[11] The 7.62 Minimi TR was selected in Feb 2012 to replace the C9 LSW Minimi and will be known as the 7.62 LSW Minimi in NZDF service.[12] | |
FN MAG 58 | Belgium | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | The New Zealand Defence Force originally purchased the British-made L7A2 version of the MAG in 1976. These are now being replaced by several versions of the Belgian-made MAG-58, which was originally introduced into service as part of the introduction of the NZLAV. The FN-made MAGs are now used in the infantry light machine gun (LMG) role as a flexible mounted machine gun on the LOV and NH-90 and as a heavy sustained fire machine gun.[13] | |
Browning M2HB-QCB | United States | Heavy machine gun | .50 BMG | Heavy machine gun not used at the infantry section level but rather as a heavy support weapon usually mounted on vehicles. It uses the .50 BMG cartridge and has an effective range in excess of 2,000 metres. |
Shotguns[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benelli M3 | Italy | Shotgun | 12-gauge |
|
NZ Defence Force;[14] initially introduced in Army service in 2006.[15] |
Grenade Launchers[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M203 | United States | Grenade launcher | 40×46mm | Attaches to the IW MARS-L (RM Equipment M203PI) and M4 (Colt M203-A1) rifles. | |
Heckler & Koch GMG | Germany | Automatic grenade launcher | 40×53mm |
Indirect fire weapons[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
F2 81mm Mortar[16] | United Kingdom Canada |
Mortar | 81mm | 50 L16A2 81 mm mortar | |
M6C-640T 60mm Mortar[16] | Austria | Mortar | 60mm | 32 in inventory |
Portable anti-material weapons[]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Photo | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mistral (missile) | France | Man-portable surface-to-air missile | High explosive with high density tungsten balls | 12 launchers, 70 rounds | |
66 mm Short-Range Anti-Armour Weapon (M72 LAW) | United States | Anti-tank rocket launcher | 66mm | A single shot disposable anti-armour weapon, 3200 in stock march 2021 | |
L14A1 Carl Gustav Medium Direct Fire Support Weapon | Sweden | Recoilless rifle | 84mm | 42 M3 Carl Gustav, primarily used in the anti-armour role. | |
Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) | United States | Guided anti-armour missile | 127mm | 24 launchers 120 missiles, another 170 missiles acquired 2019 |
Artillery[]
Model | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L119 light gun | United Kingdom | 105 mm towed field gun | 24 | ||
Ordnance QF 25-pounder | United Kingdom | 3.45-inch (87.6 mm) towed field gun | In September 1977, the 25-pounder was withdrawn from full operational service. However, the field gun is still used by the ceremonial saluting battery at Point Jerningham, Wellington to mark official events. It is also used as New Zealand's official funeral gun carriage.[17] |
Vehicles[]
Model | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Armoured vehicles | |||||
NZLAV | Canada | Infantry fighting vehicle | (105) | 105 NZLAVs, including 95 Infantry Mobility Vehicle (IMV), 7 Light Obstacle Blade Vehicle (LOB) and 3 Recovery Vehicle (LAV-R).The New Zealand armed forces purchased 105 LAV of which 102 were standard vehicles and 3 were redesigned for recovery.
New Zealand decided in 2003 to replace its existing fleet of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, purchased in the 1960s, with the NZLAV, and the M113s were decommissioned by the end of 2004.[18] An agreement made to sell the M113s via an Australian weapons dealer in February 2006 had to be cancelled when the US State Department refused permission for New Zealand to sell the M113s under a contract made when the vehicles were initially purchased.[19] The replacement of the M113s with the General Motors LAV III (NZLAV) led to a review in 2001 on the purchase decision-making by New Zealand's Auditor-General.[20] The review found short-comings in the defence acquisition process but not the eventual vehicle selected. In 2010 the government said it would look at the possibility of selling 35 LAVs, around a third of the fleet, as being surplus to requirements.[21] | |
Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle | Australia | Protected vehicle | (27)
+(43) ON order |
The New Zealand Special Air Service operates five Thales Bushmasters designated the Special Operations Vehicle-Protected Heavy (SOV-PH) purchased from Australian Defence Force stock.[22][23] The Army will acquire 43 Bushmasters variant NZ5.5 to replace the existing fleet of armored NZLOVs with deliveries expected in late 2022.[24][25][26] | |
Transport vehicles | |||||
Polaris MRZR | United States | Utility Task Vehicle | (16) | The MRZR is a militarised version of the Polaris RZR recreational vehicle. It is diesel powered, fitted with run flat tires and an infra-red light to aid driving using night vision goggles.[27] Issued to the High Readiness Company of the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1 RNZIR)[28] | |
Supacat HMT Extenda | United Kingdom | Special operations vehicle | (32) | The New Zealand Special Air Service operate an undisclosed number of Supacat HMT Extenda vehicles designated the Special Operations Vehicles-Mobility Heavy (SOV-MH) that entered service in 2018.[29][30] The SOV-MH replaced the Pinzgauer Special Operations (MV-SO) vehicle.[29] | |
Pinzgauer High-Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle | Austria | All-wheel drive vehicle | (321) | The NZ Army operates 321 Pinzgauer vehicles over eight variants to fulfill the Light Operational Vehicle (LOV) role.[31] They are currently being replaced under the Projected Mobility Project.[32] | |
Mercedes-Benz Unimog | Germany | Medium vehicle | (82) | Planned to be replaced under the Garrison Support & Training vehicle project. Used for support during the 2021 Canterbury Flooding. | |
RMMV Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicle | Germany | Medium/Heavy vehicle
Bridging Vehicle |
(194) | The NZ Army operates 194 MAN HX58/60/77 Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicles (MHOV), they were brought into service in the mid-2010s in order to replace parts of the aging Unimog U1700 fleet.[33]
The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System provides a bridging capability to support the NZLAV.[34] | |
Mercedes-Benz Actros | Germany | Heavy vehicle | 4 | In 2010 New Zealand purchased 4 Actros to haul adjustable-width quad-axle low-loader semitrailers primarily for the transportation of LAVs (Light Armoured Vehicles). | |
Engineering vehicles | |||||
RMMV HX44M Heavy Recovery Vehicle | Germany | Wrecker | 3 | ||
M1089 Wrecker | United States | Wrecker | 5 | To be replaced by the RMMMV HX44M.[35] | |
JCB HMEE | United Kingdom | Combat tractor | 6 | In 2011 six JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) combat tractors were delivered to the Army, they are operated in support of Combat engineers.[36] | |
CAT 938K | United States United Kingdom |
Track laying vehicle | 2 | Equipped with the FAUN M30H Trackway Dispenser.[37] | |
BPRV | United States New Zealand |
Beach preparation and recovery vehicle | 2 | Based on Caterpillar D555 'forestry skidder'. In service with the Amphibious Beach Team, 5 Movements Company.[38] | |
Support vehicles | |||||
Nissan Navara | Japan | Support Vehicle | 30 | ||
Mitsubishi Triton | Japan | Support Vehicle | 130 | ||
Ceremonial vehicles | |||||
Land Rover | United Kingdom | Ceremonial Gun Carriage | 3 | Retired from service Used for funeral and ceremonial purposes only. |
Watercraft[]
Name | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FC530 MilPro Zodiac | France | Rigid inflatable boat |
Aircraft[]
Name | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma | United States | Unmanned aerial vehicle | 1 | A single Puma is in operational service.[39] | |
Skycam Kahu | New Zealand | Training and limited battlefield surveillance | Kahu was developed by the Defence Technology Agency. It served as a vehicle for technology development and enabled the NZDF to gain first-hand experience as an RPAS operator. Kahu has also been deployed operationally on a limited basis.[40] | ||
DJI Mavic Pro | China | Training and Experimentation Purposes | 26 | Used as a concept, training and experimentation platform to assist the army in assessing future use cases for UAS systems. These systems are used only in unclassified training space, never connected to the Internet or NZDF networks, and are not for deployment.[41] | |
DJI Phantom 4 | 1 | ||||
Black Hornet | Norway | Reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance | Used by the New Zealand Special Air Service.[40] |
Future equipment[]
Equipment is trialed for the New Zealand army under the Battle Lab program.
- Electric Utility Motorcycles - UBCO electric bikes are currently being trialed by Battle Lab for the purposes of reconnaissance and surveillance, airfield security and other transport roles.[42][43]
- Electric Staff Vehicles - In efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the army is trialing the electric Hyundai Ioniq, in addition to installing electric vehicle charging stations at Trentham Military Camp.
See also[]
- List of individual weapons of the New Zealand armed forces
- Tanks of New Zealand
- Uniforms of the New Zealand Army
References[]
- ^ "New Zealand Rifle Platoon Organization (2017)". Battle Order. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- ^ "Unofficial New Zealand Special Air Service page". Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ "Split second decisions: police rules of engagement". The Sunday Star-Times. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
- ^ "Replacement due for police rifles". New Zealand Police. 19 May 2005. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ^ "NZ Army – Personal Weapons". army.mil.nz. Archived from the original on 18 December 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
- ^ "Hated army assault rifles unlikely to be sold". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 2014-06-20. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ Davis, Sgt Mick (5 December 2013). "Snipers Hit the Mark: Snipers get fired up at SASR concentration in WA". Army (News). Directorate of Defence News. p. 11. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ Force, New Zealand Defence (18 October 2017). "Defence Force buying two new weapons".
- ^ "New Weapons for Snipers and Special Forces" (PDF). New Zealand Army News (487): 4–5. October 2017. ISSN 1170-4411. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2020.
- ^ New Sniper Rifle for the NZ Army (Television production). New Zealand Defence Force. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) New Zealand Army official site - ^ Martin (Ed.), Judith (February 2012). "New Light Support Weapon for NZ Defence" (PDF). NZ Army News. No. 428. p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
The New Zealand Defence Force has selected the FN Herstal 7.62mm Minimi TR as a replacement for the 5.56 mm LSW C9, currently in service. The weapons are being acquired now, with NZ delivery due to start from April this year, and introduction to service and issuing to units planned to occur in last quarter of 2012. The 7.62 LSW Minimi will be issued to certain Army and Air Force Units. This will replace the C9 capability, with priority being given to field force units and regional equipment pools.
- ^ "Machine Guns". Army.mil.nz. 2008-02-11. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ "New Shotguns for Defence" (PDF). NZ Army News. NZ Defence Force. September 2011. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ^ "Heed The Need". NZ Army News. NZ Defence Force. 14 November 2006. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
The Army is purchasing a small number of Benelli M3 Tactical shotguns, which are expected to deploy with 1 RNZIR and 2/1 RNZIR soldiers on stability and security-type operations.
- ^ a b "firepower". New Zealand Army. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "Military Hardware". 2018-07-02. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
- ^ "New Zealand Army - New Zealand Defence Force".
- ^ "US blocks APC sale | POLITICS | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz". Archived from the original on 2007-10-14.
- ^ http://www.oag.govt.nz/2001/lav-lov/
- ^ "Govt to sell 35 army LAVs". 24 May 2010.
- ^ New Zealand Defence Force; New Zealand Ministry of Defence (August 2019). Major Projects Report 2018 : 1 July 2017 - 30 June 2018 (PDF). New Zealand Government. pp. 85–97. ISBN 9781988515090. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Nicholson, Brendan (2 February 2018). "Bushmasters give allies a safe ride". The Australian.
- ^ Defence Minister Ron Mark (8 July 2020). "New Armoured vehicles for New Zealand Army". The Beehive (Press release). Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "Next Steps Announced for Army Protected Mobility" (PDF). New Zealand Army News (514): 5. July 2020. ISSN 1170-4411.
- ^ "New Bushmaster Armoured Vehicles hit the production line". Ministry of Defence (Press release). 24 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Operational Vehicles". New Zealand Defence Force. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ Dominguez, Gabriel (2020-07-08). "New Zealand Army receives first six Polaris MRZR vehicles". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ a b New Zealand Defence Force; New Zealand Ministry of Defence (August 2019). Major Projects Report 2018 : 1 July 2017 - 30 June 2018 (PDF). New Zealand Government. pp. 85–97. ISBN 9781988515090. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Supacat Special Operations Vehicles Accepted in New Zealand". Supacat (Press release). SC Group. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "New Zealand Army - New Zealand Defence Force".
- ^ http://www.defsecmedia.co.nz/defence/autumn-2018-protected-mobility/#:~:text=The%20Protected%20Mobility%20project%20will,%2F19%20to%202028%2F29.
- ^ "New Zealand Army - New Zealand Defence Force".
- ^ "Operational Vehicles". New Zealand Defence Force. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- ^ "New Zealand officially receives HX44Ms - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- ^ "New Zealand Army - New Zealand Defence Force".
- ^ "Advance on the beach". issuu. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ "New Zealand Army | Army News - Issue 515, August 2020 page 9". Issuu. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Defence Force seeks more drones for fleet". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- ^ a b "Integration of NZDF Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems into New Zealand Civil Airspace" (PDF). Defence Technology Agency. October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "NZDF has no plans to ground drones banned by US military allies over cyber-safety fears". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ UBCO | NZDF CASE STUDY, retrieved 2021-08-27
- ^ "Military mopeds: NZDF trialling electric bikes". New Zealand Defence Force. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- New Zealand Army
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- Lists of armies (land forces) equipment