Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand’s National-led government is doubling defence spending over the next eight years, aiming to modernise its navy, upgrade surveillance networks, and strengthen regional deterrence in response to rising global instability – especially from China.
“This is the floor, not the ceiling,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, unveiling the $9 billion commitment, which lifts military spending above 2% of GDP by 2033.
Defence Minister Judith Collins was blunt in stating: “Distance is no longer any protection for New Zealand… not when ships with enormous strike power come into our backyard.”
The shift follows China’s September 2024 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the South Pacific – the first in the region in over four decades. Defence documents cite China’s “non-transparent” military buildup as the principal threat to Indo-Pacific stability. Climate change is listed second.
The new Defence Capability Plan 2025 calls for replacing most of New Zealand’s ageing navy by the mid-2030s.
Current vessels span five classes across just eight ships. Officials hope to “simplify the fleet” using a common hull design, possibly in coordination with Australia, to create a more unified ANZAC force.
Major investments include long-range drones (likely the MQ-9B Sea Guardian), uncrewed surveillance vessels for maritime domain awareness, and upgraded Army comms infrastructure to tie together individual soldiers and command.
Cyber security gets a major boost, with up to $300 million NZD earmarked for securing defence networks—vital for interoperability with Five Eyes allies.
But, defence expert Malcolm Davis cautioned that funding promises often vanish with political change. “It’s one thing to have a plan; it’s another to properly fund it and see it enacted.”
Read more over at Breaking Defense
Image: NZDF
