Commonwealth of New Zealand | Message to Australia

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Encrypted, Secure - SECRET

Recipient: The Honourable Senator John Faulkner < Owen >
Sender: Wesley R. Miller, Head of Ministry of Defence Procurment Organisation (MPO) < wrmhead@mpo.nz.gov >
Date: 29th of March
Subject: Defence Projects

Dear Minister Faulkner,

As part of the new New Zealand Cabinet, the New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry of Defence Procurement Organisation has been given permission to start large projects both independently and dependently of oversea allies, including Australia. These projects are to expand New Zealand’s ability to defend herself and project power.

As such, my Organisation wishes to inquire about the possibility of joining several Australian Defence Force projects as a partner. These include Project/s AIR 22, AIR 30, AIR 35, LAND 129, and AIR 7000. The Royal New Zealand Air Force has come to me with a request to replace the Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a more modern and adept airframe; I wish to inquire about the possibility of the Australian government supporting New Zealand’s attempt to purchase Boeing 737 aircraft, of the same type as the Royal Australian Air Force’s, to replace the 757 in New Zealand.

Due to evolving threats in the region, we also wish to inquire about the joint development of an air defence frigate based on the Anzac-class, and the installation of a JORN-type radar in New Zealand, with a New Zealand-based control facility and linked into the Australian system.

Thank you,

Wesley R. Miller, Head of MPO
Commonwealth of New Zealand

 

[Owen]

​

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET(ENCRYPTED)​

3 March 2005

Dear Mr. Miller, Unfortunately I cannot sell you the Boeing 737 as Australia has no rights over the aircraft. These inquiries will need to be directed to the United States directly. Though I don't see why there needs to be a replacement for the Boeing 757 already considering you didn't purchase them that long ago. Currently we have no plans to replace the Anzac-class Frigate, but we could begin looking at it. We are attempting to acquire a new state-of-the-art Air Warfare Destroyer from Spain, the Alvaro de Bazan-class, to which we will name the Hobart-class. New Zealand could certainly look at being a potential buyer of this platform. An over-the-horizon radar for New Zealand does sound like a promising proposal. A system and command similar to NORAD could be set up across Australasia. I do think this is a worthwhile proposal. Unfortunately for Projects AIR 22, AIR 30, AIR 35, LAND 129 and AIR 7000, these are all very closed-off projects where we are working in conjunction with partners like the United States and the United Kingdom to procure equipment which will only be accessible to us through our close partnership with them and to which they won't procure simply for anybody. New Zealand does not have the relationship that Australia has with the United States and the United Kingdom, therefore we can't collaborate with New Zealand on these projects at this time as that may jeopardise the projects in their entirety. Yours sincerely, John Faulkner.

Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700​

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