HMNZS Te Mana (F111)

HMNZS "Te Mana" (F111) is one of ten "Anzac" class frigates and one of two serving in the Royal New Zealand Navy. The name "Te Mana" is Māori, meaning 'status' or 'authority'.

Construction

"Te Mana" was constructed by Tenix Defence Systems at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia and launched on May 10 1997 by the Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu. The frigate was commissioned into the RNZN on 10 December 1999 in her homeport of Tauranga. [cite web|title=HMNZS TE MANA F111|url=http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/today/anzac/hmnzs-te-mana.htm|work=Royal New Zealand Navy Museum|accessdate=2008-05-13] She is expected to be in service beyond 2020. [cite web|title=$300m frigate upgrade|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3578761|date=July 17, 2004|work=New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14] The ship is based at Devonport Naval Base, Auckland. However in keeping with RNZN tradition she is ceremonially homeported at Tauranga. Cracks were discovered in "Te Mana's" sister ships HMAS "Anzac" and HMNZS "Te Kaha", at the point the bilge keel joints the hull. "Te Mana" was to be checked and repaired for similar cracks at her scheduled service in August 2002. [cite web|title=Navy to fix frigate damage now, argue cost later|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=1442341|date=April 17, 2002|work=New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14]

Operational history

The "Te Mana" was sent to the Solomon Islands in 2000, in preparation to evacuate around 225 New Zealanders from the ethnic conflict on the islands. [cite web|title=Australia plans Solomons rescue|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/782210.stm|date=8 June 2000|work=BBC News|accessdate=2008-05-14]

A sailor died at sea aboard the frigate on March 29 2001, the death was investigated by the New Zealand Police but treated as not suspicious. [cite web|title=NZ Navy sailor dies at sea|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=180058|date=March 30, 2001|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14]

In February 2002, a Seasprite helicopter flown by a Royal Australian Navy test pilot crashed into the "Te Mana's" deck. The ship was operating during 3 m high seas in Cook Strait, [cite web|title=Chopper repairs set to cost $2m|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=2047178|date=June 18, 2002|work=New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14] a court of enquiry later found that no single event was to blame for the accident. The repairs to the Seasprite cost an estimated $7.4 million. [cite web|title=No one event to blame for navy helicopter crash landing|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3452408|date=May 2, 2003|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14]

"Te Mana" went to the aid of HMS "Nottingham" in July 2002, when the "Nottingham" ran aground on the submerged Wolf Rock, and provided manpower, supplies and salvage equipment to the stricken vessel. [cite web|title=Navy warship crew fly to Australia
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2132553.stm|date=16 July 2002|work=BBC News|accessdate=2008-05-14] [cite web|title=Daily Shipping Newsletter 2002 - 013|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/maritime/Scheepvaartnieuws/Pdf/scheepvaartnieuws/2002/juli/013-15-07-2002.PDF|format=PDF|date=2002-07-15|accessdate=2008-05-14]

From 28 January 2003 until 4 August 2003 the "Te Mana" was deployed to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, conducting Maritime Interdiction Operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. [cite web|title=Te Mana returns after stint in Gulf|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3516308|date=August 4, 2003|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-14]

"Te Mana" deployed to the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman for a second time in 2004, again to undertake Maritime Interdiction Operations, as part of Combined Task Force 150. In May the helicopter was damaged, at a cost of up to $4 million; a court of enquiry later found the pilot and co-pilot had failed to lash the aircraft down to the deck correctly. [cite web|title=Pilots censured on helicopter bungle|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=161683|date=February 23, 2005|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-13] In the Gulf of Oman on July 14 2004, a crewmember aboard a merchant bulk chemical carrier fell into a tank while cleaning it. The "Te Mana" responded to the emergency call and sprinted to the scene, the ship's medic was flown over to the bulk carrier, but the patient was unable to be revived. [cite web|title=Te Mana Races To The Aid Of A Merchant Ship|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0407/S00178.htm|date=July 15, 2004|work=Scoop|accessdate=2008-05-13] She returned to Devonport on September 10, 2004, having queried 380 ships and boarded 38. [cite web|title=Cool to be home for HMNZS Te Mana crew|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3590751|date=September 11, 2004|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-13]

"Te Mana" and HMNZS "Endeavour" were the first RNZN vessels to visit Russia, arriving in the Pacific port of Vladivostok on June 10, 2005 on a diplomatic mission. [cite web|title=New Zealand Navy pays first visit to Vladivostok, Russia|url=http://vn.vladnews.ru/Arch/2005/ISS471/News/upd14_2.HTM|date=June 14, 2005|work=Vladivostok Novosti|accessdate=2008-05-13] [cite web|title=Navy ships head to Russia|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=123&objectid=10011248|date=February 16, 2005|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-13]

A fire broke out about the "Te Mana" in February 2006, while it was participating in an exercise off the coast of Australia. The ship's Seasprite helicopter was diverted to her sister ship the HMAS "Stuart" and the fire was put out by the crew. [cite web|title=Sailors fought fire at sea on Anzac warship|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=123&objectid=10374640|date=March 27, 2006|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-13]

The breeding ground of the Kermadec Storm Petrel was discovered with the assistance of the "Te Mana" in August 2006, when the ship transported an ornithologist to a rocky outcrop in the Kermadec Islands group, enabling him to find a nest. The ship was on the annual mission to resupply Raoul Island for the Department of Conservation. [cite web|title=Elusive petrel breeding ground found|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/822273|date=August 28, 2006|work=TVNZ|accessdate=2008-05-13]

Early in 2007 the vessel's diesel engines developed a problem as it crossed the Tasman Sea to Sydney. The engines became unusable and the ship had to use the gas turbine for propulsion. Her sister ship "Te Kaha" suffered a similar problem one month later. [cite web|title=Navy's frigates break down at sea|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=123&objectid=10436414|date=April 27, 2007|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-05-13]

"Te Mana" deployed from Devonport to the Central and Southern Persian Gulf on 7 April 2008, as part of Coalition Task Force 152. [cite web|title=HMNZS Te Mana sails for Persian Gulf|url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=135298|date=2008-04-07|work=NewsTalkZB|accessdate=2008-05-13] Sailing via Singapore she arrived on 11 May 2008, beginning a three month patrol of the region's waterways, including guarding against threats to the oil industry infrastructure, [cite web|title=Te Mana arrives in Arabian Gulf|url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=137148|date=2008-05-11|work=NewsTalkZB|accessdate=2008-05-13] as well to prevent smuggling and piracy."Welcome to the Arabian Gulf" - "Navy Today", Defence Public Relations Unit, Issue 133, June 08, Page 4-6]

Gallery

ee also

* Frigates of the Royal New Zealand Navy

References

External links

* [http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-fleet/te-mana/default.htm Home page]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1465218/Mission-to-board.html Mission to board - Reporter with Task Force 150]