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The New Zealand Defence Force has opened a new maintenance support facility to support military equipment in service with the New Zealand Army.
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The 8,500-square-metre “Farrier Lines” facility, worth $50 million, was officially opened at the 3,000-personnel Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North late last year.
The facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and is expected to provide personnel with the capability to maintain and repair current and future defence equipment. It now features an improved environmental footprint, underfloor heating, humidity, temperature controls, EV charging, solar panel, rainwater harvesting, drive-through bays, hydraulic vehicle lifts, rolling roads, a gantry crane and weapons range to test repaired small arms.
The facility is expected to maintain the NZ Army’s primary combat vehicle, the Light Armoured Vehicle, armoured Bushmaster trucks, weapons, radios, and specialist equipment.
Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell said the Linton facility would improve and modernise Army logistic service delivery to better enable the force to meet the demands of the modern-day operating environment by maintaining vehicles and equipment.
“Farrier Lines is key to ensuring future generations are well prepared for future challenges,” MAJGEN Boswell said.
“Fit-for-purpose logistics infrastructure is fundamental to our Army being combat-ready and able to operate across the spectrum of military operations, as and when required, domestically, throughout the Pacific and around the world.”
The facility is one of five planned infrastructure projects scheduled to be delivered as part of the NZ Army’s Consolidated Logistics Programme.
The Farrier Lines facility was named after the Latin word “Ferrum” (Iron) in honour of NZ Army metal work repairing carriages and artillery, tending cavalry horseshoes and blacksmith work, particularly during World War I.
Late last year, the New Zealand government outlined its key priorities for the future of Defence and national security in a Defence Policy Strategy Statement 2023.
The New Zealand government published the Defence roadmap alongside a Future Force Design Principles 2023 and the National Security Strategy, Secure Together – Tō Tātou Korowai Manaaki, in August 2023.
The Defence Policy Strategy Statement indicates there are four key interests to be promoted and protected, such as a secure, sovereign New Zealand; a stable and resilient region; collective security through a strong network of partners; and a strong, effective international rules-based system.
The statement also details plans for NZ Defence to act proactively to deliver three objectives of promoting and protecting NZ defence interests, contributing globally to collective security efforts, and responding to events in New Zealand, the region, and globally where required.
It details two critical threats to NZ of strategic competition and impacts of climate change.
