New Zealand names Project Protector ships

**Sea Toby** · 31 Mar 06,, 16:56

The MRV name will be Canterbury. The OPVs names will be Otago and Wellington. These three provincial names have been used with the Leander/Rothesay class frigates. The IPVs names will be Taupo, Rotoiti, Pukaki, and Hawea. These New Zealand lake names have been used for the Loch class frigates of the Korean War era. Since this is the order the Minister of Defence said, I assume these names will be in order, but that maybe speculating too much.

Outside HMNZS Canterbury, L 421, the pennant numbers are still unkown, but we'll know them within the next two years as they are launched.

I have a funny feeling since the Canterbury is using its old pennant number, that there is a very good possibility the others will too. However, New Zealand quest to use these same numbers again and again come back to haunt this assumption.

The former F 111 Otago number is being used for Te Mana, but that doesn't mean that P 111 can't be used. The former F-69 Wellington could be the new P 69. Likewise, the former F 421 Taupo number is being used for the L 421 Canterbury, but that doesn't mean P 421 can't be used. The former F 625 Rotoiti, F 424 Pukaki, and F 422 Hawea could be the new P 625, P 424, and P 422. Of course, 625 was and is still way out of sequence, as are the others in a launching order, and if it were changed to 425 where is 423?

Oh well, this is getting too confusing, maybe New Zealand should start anew from scratch with easy to understand numbers such as L 01, P 01 and P 02, and P 101 through P 104, matching numbers of the Defence Models guessing.

**Parihaka** · 31 Mar 06,, 23:13

Actually it's quite nice to see the old names brought forward again. Wonder if there's room for an Achilles?

**Sea Toby** · 14 Apr 06,, 04:59

The RNZN has posted their hull numbers. Canterbury is L 421, the Otago is P 148 and Wellington P 55, the inshore numbers are sequencial, but not in their building order. In their building order Rotoiti is P 3569, Hawea is P 3571, Pukaki is P 3568, and Taupo is P 3570.

Only a small navy can get away with this.