Description:
The Otago class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) are two of the seven ships ordered by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) under Project Protector which was awarded to Tenix Shipbuilding (New Zealand) in April 2004. Tenix took a design already in service with the Irish Navy and Maritius Coastguard and assembled the ship's modules in Australia. They will be used to carry out patrolling, surveillance, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, support to peacekeeping operations and sea training for the Navy. They will be able to patrol the New Zealand coastline from the shore to approximately 200 nautical miles (EEZ) in conjunction with the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Their armament includes a 25mm Bushmaster cannon and two .50 caliber machine guns. A single SH-2G helicopter can operate from the aft flight deck. Both OPVs are expected to be commissioned in 2010.
Specifications Accommodation: Crew 79
Guns: Main Gun Caliber 25 mm
Dimensions: Beam 14 m, Length 85 m
Weights: Full Displacement 1,600 t
Performance: Max Range 6,000 nautical mile (), Top Speed 22 kt (41 kph)
Operators
New Zealand / 2
Ships
P148 HMNZS Otago
Launch/Keel Laying: Sunday, November 18, 2007 Commissioning: 2010
P55 HMNZS Wellington
Launch/Keel Laying: Saturday, October 27, 2007 Commissioning: 2010
New Zealand / 2 