List of equipment of the New Zealand Army

This is a list of equipment of the New Zealand Army currently in use. It includes small arms, combat vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, artillery and transport vehicles. The New Zealand Army is the principal land warfare force of New Zealand, a part of the New Zealand Defence Force. Since the ANZUS breakup and the end of the Cold War, the New Zealand Army has been deployed to a number of conflict zones, often as part of a coalition force or part of a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Infantry section equipment

A standard New Zealand infantry section consists of ten soldiers, divided into two five-men infantry fireteams. While equipment formations can be tailored as required by section and platoon commanders, infantry sections are usually issued with the following:[1]

Weapons

Vision systems

Uniforms

Weapons

Model Image Origin Type Calibre Notes
Combat Knife
M7 bayonet  United States Bayonet [2]
Handguns
Glock 17, 4th gen  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue pistol.[3]
Submachine guns
L2A3 Sterling  United Kingdom Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum In ceremonial use with the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps.[4]

Introduced in 1959. Partially replaced with the M16 in 1968, with full withdrawal from service following the introduction of the AUG and MP5.

Assault rifles & Battle rifles
LMT MARS-L

Modular Assault Rifle System - Light

 United States Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue assault rifle.[2]

Adopted in 2015 to replace the Steyr AUG.

Ordered in 2 different barrel lengths, and equipped with:

  • Trijicon ACOG scope
  • RMR red dot mounted on top
  • M7 bayonet
M4 carbine  United States Carbine 5.56×45mm NATO [5][6][7]

Used by New Zealand Special Air Service.

Precision rifles
LMT 308 MWS  United States DMR

Designated marksman rifle

7.62×51mm NATO Standard issue DMR.[8]

Adopted in October 2011.

Equipment

  • Leupold adjustable 4.5-14 × scope
  • canted iron sights
  • foldable foregrip
Barrett MRAD

Multi-role Adaptive Design

 United States Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62×51mm NATO (for training)

8.6×70mm (operational calibre)

Introduced in 2018, replacement of the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare.[9][10][11]

Equipment:

  • ATACR 5-25×56 F1 Nightforce scope
Barrett M107A1  United States Anti materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO Introduced in 2018 [12][13]
Machine guns
FN Minimi TR

Known as "7.62 LSW Minimi" in NZ forces

 Belgium Light machine gun 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue Light Support Weapon in the Army since 1988.[14]

Selected in February 2012 to replace the C9 LSW Minimi and will be known as the 7.62 LSW Minimi in NZDF service.[15]

FN MAG 58  Belgium General-purpose machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO The Belgian FN MAG replaced the L7A2 variant of the FN MAG that was purchased in 1976.

Used on vehicles as heavy sustained fire machine gun.[16]

Browning M2HB-QCB  United States Heavy machine gun 12.7×99mm NATO Used as heavy support weapon, mounted on vehicles, and some on tripods on some advanced positions.
Shotguns
Benelli M3  Italy Pump action shotgun 12 gauge [17][18][19]

Introduced in 2006

Grenade launchers and ammunition
M203  United States Under-barrel renade launcher 40×46mm LV [20]

Used with the

Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Automatic grenade launcher 40×53mm HV [21]
Anti-tank weapons
M72 LAW

"66 mm Short-Range Anti-Armour Weapon"

 Norway

 United States

Anti-tank rocket launcher 66mm 3200 in stock March 2021.[citation needed].

A single shot disposable anti-armour weapon,

Carl Gustav M3

"L14A1 Carl Gustav Medium Direct Fire Support Weapon"

 Sweden Recoilless rifle 84mm [22]

43 in service as of June 2015[23]

Javelin MRAW

"Medium Range Anti-Armour Weapon"

 United States ATGM

"Anti-tank guided missile"

127mm [24]
  • 24 launchers and 164 missiles ordered in 2004[25][26]
  • 10 missiles ordered in 2014[27]

Indirect fire

Mortars

Model Image Origin Type Calibre Number Details
Hirtenberger M6  Austria Infantry mortar 60mm 32 [28]
Hirtenberger M8  Austria Mortar 81mm [29][28]
L16A2  Canada

 United Kingdom

Mortar 81mm 50 [30]

Artillery

Model Image Origin Type Calibre Number Details
L119 light gun  United Kingdom Field gun 105 mm 24 in inventory [23][31]

Ammunition used: US M1

Ordnance QF 25-pounder  United Kingdom Ceremonial gun 3.45-inch (87.6 mm) 7 in inventory[23] [32]

Retired from operational service in September 1977.

The 25-pounder gun is used by the ceremonial saluting battery at Point Jerningham, Wellington for official events and official funeral gun carriage.

Vehicles

Model Image Origin Type Number Details
Armoured vehicles
NZLAV  Canada Infantry fighting vehicle 73 (+8 surplus) Wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, a variant of the Canadian LAV III. Originally 105 NZLAVs, including 95 Infantry Mobility Vehicle (IMV), 7 Light Obstacle Blade Vehicle (LOB) and 3 Recovery Vehicle (LAV-R).

In 2003 the New Zealand armed forces purchased 105 LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) from Canada, of which 102 were standard vehicles (LOB is a standard NZLAV with a bulldozer blade attached) and 3 were redesigned for recovery.

In 2010 the government said it would look at the possibility of selling 35 LAVs, around a third of the fleet, as being surplus to requirements.[33] In 2012, 20 NZLAVs were made available to be sold, and in 2019 this amount was raised to 30.[34]

On 20 April 2022, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced that they had sold 22 NZLAVs to Chilean Navy. After the sale to Chile, NZDF still had 8 NZLAVs in their inventory for sale. One NZLAV has been written off after being damaged in Afghanistan and one NZLAV is being used in Canada (source country for NZLAV) as a test vehicle. 73 NZLAVs remain in service with NZDF as of April 2022.[34]

Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle  Australia Protected vehicle 48 The New Zealand Special Air Service operates five Thales Bushmasters designated the Special Operations Vehicle-Protected Heavy (SOV-PH) purchased from Australian Defence Force stock.[35][36] The Army acquired 43 Bushmasters variant NZ5.5 to replace the existing fleet of armored NZLOVs (that is, armored Pinzgauer vehicles) with the last of deliveries arriving by August 22, 2024.[37][38][39][40]
Transport vehicles
Polaris MRZR  United States Utility Task Vehicle 6 The MRZR is a militarised version of the Polaris RZR recreational vehicle. It is diesel powered, fitted with run flat tires and an infra-red light to aid driving using night vision goggles.[41] Issued to the High Readiness Company of the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1 RNZIR)[42]
Supacat HMT Extenda

"SOV MH - Special operations vehicle Mobility Heavy"

 United Kingdom Special operations vehicle 6 The New Zealand Special Air Service operate an undisclosed number of Supacat HMT Extenda vehicles designated the Special Operations Vehicles-Mobility Heavy (SOV-MH) that entered service in 2018.[43][44] The SOV-MH replaced the Pinzgauer Special Operations (MV-SO) vehicle.[43]
Pinzgauer High-Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle  Austria All-wheel drive vehicle 321 The NZ Army operates 321 Pinzgauer vehicles over eight variants to fulfill the Light Operational Vehicle (LOV) role.[45] They are currently being replaced under the Projected Mobility Project.[46]
Mercedes-Benz Unimog  West Germany
/  Germany
Medium vehicle 82 Planned to be replaced under the Garrison Support & Training vehicle project. Used for support during the 2021 Canterbury Flooding.
RMMV Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicle  Austria
 Germany
Medium/Heavy vehicle
Bridging Vehicle
Heavy recovery vehicle
197 The NZ Army operates 194 MAN:[47]
  • HX58 - 4×4
  • HX60 - 6×6
  • HX77 - 8×8Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicles (MHOV), they were brought into service in the mid-2010s in order to replace parts of the aging Unimog U1700 fleet.[48]

The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System provides a bridging capability to support the NZLAV.[49]

Mercedes-Benz Actros  Germany Heavy vehicle 4 In 2010 New Zealand purchased 4 Actros to haul adjustable-width quad-axle low-loader semitrailers primarily for the transportation of NZLAVs (Light Armoured Vehicles).
Recovery vehicles
RMMB HX44M - Heavy recovery vehicles

Illustration

 Austria
 Germany
Wrecker 3 Ordered in 2018, delivered in 2021, lift tow” capacity of 15 tons.[50]
Engineering vehicles
MAN / GDELS REBS Truck

Rapidly Emplaced Bridging System

Illustration

 Germany Bridge laying vehicle [51]
JCB HMEE  United Kingdom p 6 In 2011 six JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) combat tractors were delivered to the Army, they are operated in support of Combat engineers.[52]
CAT 938K  United States
 United Kingdom
Track laying vehicle 2 Equipped with the FAUN M30H Trackway Dispenser.[53]
BPRV  United States
 New Zealand
Beach preparation and recovery vehicle 2 Based on Caterpillar D555 'forestry skidder'. In service with the Amphibious Beach Team, 5 Movements Company.[54]
Manitou MLT/MHT-X Series  France Telehandler at least 14 Nine MLT-X 625 75H

One MHT-X 10130 (as of 2021) Four MHT-X 10230[55]

Support vehicles
Nissan Navara  Japan Support Vehicle 30[citation needed]
Mitsubishi Triton  Japan Support Vehicle 130[citation needed] [56]
Toyota RAV4  Japan Support Vehicle
Yutong ZK6760  China Bus 2 12 on order[57]
Iveco Daily  Italy Ambulance 12[citation needed]
MAN TGM 15.290  Germany Fire truck 1[citation needed] [58]
Scania P93  Sweden Fire truck 3[citation needed]
Scania G93  Sweden Fire truck 2[citation needed]
Volvo FL280  Sweden Fire truck [citation needed] [58][59]
International 1810  United States Fire truck 1[citation needed]

Watercraft

Name Image Origin Type Number Details
FC530 MilPro Zodiac  France Rigid inflatable boat Both FC470 (4.7m) and FC530 (5.3m) variants in service.[60]

Electronic warfare and communications

Name Image Origin Type Number Details
L3Harris AN/PRC-158  United States Tactical radio [61]
L3Harris AN/PRC-160  United States Tactical radio [61]
L3Harris AN/PRC-163  United States Combat radio [61]
L3Harris RF-7850S  United States Combat radio [61]
AN/TPQ-49 LCMR

"Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar"

Illustration

 United States Counter battery radar 4 [62]

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Name Image Origin Type Number Details
Quantum Vector VTOL  Germany Tiltrotor UAV Used for reconnaissance and fire correction by the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery.[63]
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma  United States Unmanned aerial vehicle 1 A single Puma is in operational service.[64]
Skycam Kahu  New Zealand Training and limited battlefield surveillance at least 6[65] Kahu was developed by the Defence Technology Agency. It served as a vehicle for technology development and enabled the NZDF to gain first-hand experience as an RPAS operator. Kahu has also been deployed operationally on a limited basis.[66]
Skydio RQ-28A  United States Reconnaissancequadcopter Used for reconnaissance by the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.[67]
DJI Mavic Pro  China Training and Experimentation Purposes 26 Used as a concept, training and experimentation platform to assist the army in assessing future use cases for UAS systems. These systems are used only in unclassified training space, never connected to the Internet or NZDF networks, and are not for deployment.[68]
DJI Phantom 4 1
Teledyne FLIR Black Hornet Nano  Norway Micro aerial vehicle Used for reconnaissance by the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and New Zealand Special Air Service.[69]

Future equipment

Equipment ordered

Model Image Origin Type Quantity ordered Notes
Military vehicles
URO Vamtac ST5 ST5  Spain Utility light armoured vehicle 20 Successor to the Unimog and the Pinzgauer.

Ordered in November 2024 for €56 million.[70][71]

Vamtac SK95 CK3  Spain Utility medium sized vehicle 40
Staff vehicles
Hyundai Ioniq  South Korea Electric Staff Vehicles In efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the army is trialing the electric Hyundai Ioniq, in addition to installing electric vehicle charging stations at Trentham Military Camp.[72]
Electric Utility Motorcycles

Illustration

Electric Utility Motorcycles - UBCO electric bikes are currently being trialed by Battle Lab for the purposes of reconnaissance and surveillance, airfield security and other transport roles.[73][74]

See also

References

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