New Zealand Defense Budget Drops Slightly, Air Force Gets Modest Increase

New Zealand announced today that the defense budget for 2013-14 has been downgraded to NZ $2.87 billion from last year’s NZ $2.9 billion.

The budget report includes a marked reduction in spending on the Royal New Zealand Navy, a decrease in the Army’s budget and a modest increase for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

The Navy spending will drop from NZ $662 million to just under NZ $600 million and the Army fund from NZ $845 million to NZ $810 million, while Air Force enjoys an increase from NZ $790 million to just over NZ $803 million, according to the statement.

 However, despite the budget cut the Navy’s resources for the patrol force (including two offshore and four inshore patrol vessels) rises from NZ$126 million to NZ $131 million. The joint funding for the fleet tanker and the amphibious support ship Canterbury is raised from NZ $100 million to NZ $110 million.

Funds for the land combat support forces have also taken a hit while the Special Operations Forces budget received a slight boosted from NZ $80 million to NZ $87 million.

The Air Force’s RNZAF’s fleet of six P-3K2 Orions, officially titled the Airborne Surveillance and Response Force, also got an increase in funds from NZ $182 million to almost NZ $203 million.

The Ministry of Defence has also been allocated more funds than earlier from NZ $164 million to NZ $241 million.