Development Branch coordinates capability development activities between the three Services, branches of HQ NZDF and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Assistant Chief Development (AC Dev) formulates policy guidance for CDF in the areas of force development, logistics, infrastructure development and Defence science. AC Dev is also a member of the Australia-New Zealand Defence Coordinating Group (ANZDCG), which gives effect to Australian and New Zealand ministerial directives on Closer Defence Relations.
The Branch contains six directorates:
This Directorate focuses on strategic assessment and analysis of future capability requirements for inclusion in Defence's Capability Plan. This includes:
- developing scenarios for force planning
- developing responses to possible future requirements
- monitoring security trends and challenges likely to affect capability development (technology, regional assessments, human resources, economic, environmental, political and strategic stability, etc.).
Tools used by DCR to achieve these aims include simulation and military experimentation. The Directorate is also responsible for the development of strategic military doctrine and approval of operational doctrine.
The Directorate of Capability Development is responsible for:
- defining the NZDF’s 10-year requirements to provide the military capabilities needed to meet the government's defence policy objectives
- evaluating capability options
- ensuring that options are costed, including initial acquisition and whole-of-life costs.
This Directorate, in conjunction with the MoD, provides:
- the coordination and management support to the Capability Management System
- oversight of the process to ensure the capabilities/projects in the Defence Long-Term Development Plan are delivered on time.
This Directorate:
- formulates logistic support policy
- oversees cooperative logistic support arrangements with other countries
- helps to integrate and direct corporate logistics systems
- helps to link the NZDF and the New Zealand defence industry.
This Directorate is a policy unit responsible for:
- the preparation and maintenance of the Defence Estate Strategic Plan and policy, standards, benchmarks and advice about property management
- helping HQ NZDF and the Services to improve estate performance and its integration into NZDF planning
- helping to integrate external planning and policy initiatives that impact on the Defence Estate, including on such matters as environmental management, facilities management, land and energy use.
The Directorate of Property Rationalisation acquires and disposes of land for the NZDF and is responsible for:
- the development, management, coordination and implementation of the National Real Estate Consolidation Strategy (NRECS)
- investigating options for the provision of service housing.
Project JEMS is to provide:
- a fully integrated and deployable engineering capability
- a joint, standardised engineering processing and management environment, incorporating the Services’ requirements
- a foundation for operational planning, strategic corporate planning, and day-to-day engineering management and decision support
- a foundation for through life support (TLS) systems, processes, and reporting including integrated logistics support (ILS) and life cycle costing (LCC) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA)
- effectiveness and efficiency gains from the benefits of supply chain integration.