Post · bonfire.cafe

@strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz · 2 weeks ago

"As the influential Diplomat website reports, Japan’s defence budget for fiscal year 2025 stated that the basic construction cost per improved Mogami-class vessel was 105 billion yen, or $NZ 1.194 billion. That basic unit cost to us may well be higher, since we will be paying either Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Japan, or the Henderson shipyards in Western Australia to build the ships for us."

#GordonCampbell, 2025

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2510/S00070/on-our-looming-spending-spree-on-japanese-frigates.htm

(1/2)

#frigates

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2510/S00070/on-our-looming-spending-spree-on-japanese-frigates.htm

Strypey

@strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz replied · 2 weeks ago

Can't wait for Nicky NoBoats to shut down this frigate purchase as "wasteful public spending" on "gold-plated" toys for the Navy, and tell them they have to buy a Corolla instead of a Ferrari.

Remember the total cost of iRex was $550 million, and I believe that *included* the port upgrades necessary to accommodate larger ships. That's around half the price of *one* of these frigates, which are totally overpowered for coastal defence.

(2/2)

Strypey

@strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz replied · 2 weeks ago

Oh no, I'm wrong. More like 12-14 iRex deals per frigate;

"With luck, the fully kitted out version will cost (not quite) double the basic construction cost, but a conservative estimate would still put the final tab for New Zealand’s two ships at between $6-8 billion dollars."

#GordonCampbell, 2025

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2510/S00070/on-our-looming-spending-spree-on-japanese-frigates.htm

This tells you everything you need to know about this govt's priorities. It's not cutting spending, and it's certainly not building critical infrastructure.

#NZPolitics

Strypey

@strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz replied · 2 weeks ago

Hmm, my maths here may be questionable. Gordon says;

"All up, these two new frigates are going to end up costing nearly double the highest estimated price tag for those much-criticised iRex ferries. Go figure."

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2510/S00070/on-our-looming-spending-spree-on-japanese-frigates.htm

So I'm guessing the $550 million figure was just for the ships, not the port upgrades.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2510/S00070/on-our-looming-spending-spree-on-japanese-frigates.htm

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