NZDF

Output Expense 8

Land Combat Support Forces

Description

Provision of the capabilities of the Land Combat Support Forces (artillery, engineers, communications and military police force elements) prepared to conduct land operations and to contribute support services to the community, in accordance with NZDF Output Plan specifications.

Outputs in Output Expense 8

Output 8.1 - Artillery

The provision of artillery elements prepared for the support of land operations, coordination of joint fires including terminal guidance, and capable of supporting up to a battalion group sized force (motorised, non-motorised or composite). It also includes the requirement to provide artillery elements to the framework of a brigade group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined arms training, and the provision of some community support services.

Output 8.2 - Engineers

The provision of engineer elements prepared for the support of land operations and capable of supporting up to a battalion group sized force (motorised, non-motorised or composite). It also includes the requirement to provide engineer elements to the framework of a brigade group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined arms training, and the provision of some community support services.

Output 8.3 - Communications

The provision of communications elements (including Electronic Warfare elements) prepared for the support of land operations and capable of supporting up to a battalion group sized force (motorised, non-motorised or composite). It also includes the requirement to provide communications elements to the framework of a brigade group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined arms training, and the provision of some community support services.

Output 8.4 - Military Police

The provision of military police elements prepared for the support of land operations and capable of supporting up to a battalion group sized force (motorised, non-motorised or composite). It also includes the requirement to provide military police elements to the framework of a brigade group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined arms training, and the provision of some community support services.

Overview

The requirement to support a company group for tasks under ECs 1 and 2 was met. In addition, one-off combat support could have been provided to support up to an infantry battalion group. Sustaining this support would only have been possible if resources had been redeployed from current operations.

Preparedness targets were met for most likely events, although the Very Low Level Air Defence Troop was held at a basic level of capability due to personnel being deployed to Timor-Leste as light infantry.

Equipment met the required standards for support to current operations and issues are being addressed to overcome equipment limitations for higher threat situations.

Effective interoperability was achieved with friendly forces with Exercise Long Guns (held in Australia), which successfully demonstrated artillery competency in a complex warfighting environment.

Munitions, stores and equipment were available for OLOC generation.

Personnel were available for reinforcement and rotation of the deployed forces during the reporting year, which amounted to almost three company groups. Due to these current operational commitments, personnel were not available for reinforcement and rotation of an infantry battalion group.

Highlights

The Land Combat Support Forces maintained their support to current operational commitments, and both 16 Fd Regt and 2 Engr Regt deployed significant force elements as non-motorised peace support forces, as well as conducting a number of DLOC and OLOC generating activities, including:

Artillery:

  • Exercise Quad Enjoyable, artillery unit DLOC training activity conducted in conjunction with the School of Artillery.
  • Exercise Becora Dawn, skill-gap closure for artillery personnel employed as light infantry.
  • Exercise Long Guns, artillery deployment in Australia, to generate a field battery to DLOC.

Engineers:

  • Exercise Quarta Castra, developed an engineer squadron task group for security and stabilisation operations as an independent element.
  • Exercise Complex Wolf, in support of 1 RNZIR, close support engineer section and troop headquarters with a motorised company to conduct combined training for EC 4F.
  • Exercise Phantom Major and Exercise Takrouna, raised individual and low level collective motorised skills in 2 Engr Regt.

Communications:

  • Exercise Athena Black, signals squadron activity to practise communications support to an EC 1D scenario.
  • Exercise Pronto Cycle, signals squadron activity to practise communications support to EC 3 – 5 scenarios.
  • Exercise Badgers Revenge, signals squadron activity to up skill and revise EW support to EC 3 – 5 scenarios.
  • Exercise Silver Dragon, signals squadron activity to confirm step up, troop retransmission and communication operating procedures.
  • Exercise Afghan Steppe, signals squadron activity to deploy a C-Band Satellite detachment.
  • Exercise Waikato Spur and Exercise Waikato Seige, a TF signals activity to practice VHF/HF communication skills.
  • Exercise Cyrils Advance, signals squadron activity to re-qualify all unit personnel on numerous small arm and support weapons.

Contribution to Outcomes

Output Expense 8 contributes to Intermediate Outcomes 1 and 2 (Secure New Zealand and Reduced Risks to New Zealand from regional and global insecurity).

Performance

Performance measurement for this output expense is in accordance with the standard measures for operational force outputs shown at the beginning of this section and those measures listed in the table below. For additional important information on this Output Expense, see the notes at the end of this table.

Performance Standards and Measures Performance Achieved

Standards

Army, drawing on 2 Land Force Group (LFG) and 3 LFG Regular Force artillery, engineer, communications, and military police units (16 Field Regiment, 2 Engineer Regiment, 2 Signal Squadron, 3 Signal Squadron - including an Electronic Warfare element, and Force Military Police Company), and with supplementation from the Territorial Force, as required, will provide the initial and rotation land combat support force elements to support, as applicable:

  • A Company Group (motorised, non-motorised or composite) for tasks under ECs 1 and 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Operations: The requirement to provide communications support to a company group within an EC 2 environment was delivered in excess of the output requirement with the deployment of communications elements to support the company group in Timor-Leste and the enhanced platoon group deployed to Solomon Islands. Communications support was also provided to the company group deployment to Afghanistan.

Army achieved the provision for EC 2 through the deployment of an engineer construction team to Timor-Leste for force protection tasks.

Preparedness for Other Events

In addition to the current deployed force elements, Army was fully prepared to provide the artillery elements, communication elements and Military Police detachments required to support a task under EC 1. Engineer elements were substantially prepared within response times. Nevertheless, Army partially achieved the engineer element for EC 1 through the deployment of a light Engineer team to Antarctica.

Army was fully prepared to provide the artillery, engineer elements, and Military Police detachments required to support an infantry company group for EC 2 tasks, however, further communications elements over and above current operations were only substantially prepared within response times.

The following could also have been deployed within response times as a sustainable force element:

  • A three-gun artillery field battery, less Joint Tactical Air Controllers.
  • A task organised engineer group of 40 personnel (dependent on the operational environment and likely tasks), until December 2009.

 

  • Up to an Infantry Battalion Group (motorised, non-motorised or composite) for tasks under ECs 2 - 5.

Current Operations: During the reporting period, 16 Field Regiment and 2 Engineer Regiment were required to re-role as non motorised peace support forces in order to support operations in Timor-Leste.

Army was able to provide Land Combat Support Force elements (Engineers, Communications, and Military Police) to support up to company sized deployments to Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, and the enhanced platoon group in Solomon Islands.

Preparedness for Other Events: The re-rolling of the artillery and Engineers and the commitment of communications capability to support current operations has been at the expense of sustainability for other events.16 Field Regiment was able to provide a non-sustainable artillery battery to support up to an infantry battalion group. 2 Engineer Regiment was also able to provide a non-sustainable engineer squadron to support up to an infantry battalion group.

Army was also substantially prepared to provide a one-off non-sustainable engineer squadron to support an infantry battalion for the low-level EC 2, EC 3 and EC 5 tasks.

Army was able to provide non-sustainable combat support to an infantry battalion group.

The Very Low Level Air Defence Troop has been at BLOC throughout this period with the personnel being deployed to Timor-Leste, as light infantry.

  • Sub-unit elements as options for independent contribution to a combined force, only when those elements are available.

 

Measures

NZDF OPRES (Operational Preparedness and Reporting System).  (See the OPRES Key Performance Indicators and OPRES Performance Rating Scale earlier in this section.)

Artillery, engineer elements, and MP elements could have been provided for independent contribution to a combined force. However, both artillery and engineer contributions were non-sustainable.

Independent contributions were not possible from communications elements, because of current operational commitments.

Standards

Army will also provide artillery, engineer, communications and military police force elements to support the framework for a Brigade Group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined-arms training; this will require supplementation from the Territorial Force.

Measures

NZDF OPRES.

 

Army was able to provide artillery, engineer communications and Military Police elements to support simulation based Command Post Exercises in a combined arms and coalition environment.

Standards

Contribute to a range of services in support of other government departments and the community when not committed to operations, using the capabilities developed for the operational role.  [For details see the section on Services in Support of the Government and the Community, including MAO&T.]

Measures

Satisfaction of the supported department/agency.

 

Army contributed to a range of services in support of other government departments and the community when resources were available.

Services were carried out to the satisfaction of agencies.

[For details of the support provided, see the section on Services in Support of the Government and the Community, including MAO&T.]

Standards

Standards and performance rating required under the NZDF Operational Preparedness and Reporting System (OPRES) against the four Elements of Preparedness (see the OPRES Key Performance Indicators and OPRES Performance Rating Scale earlier in this section.)

Measures

While the aim, under the OPRES rating system, is an OPRES Rating of P1, for 2008/09 the following will apply:

  • For tasks under ECs 1 and 2 - a P1 OPRES rating.
  • For tasks under ECs 3 to 5 - a P2 OPRES rating.

(See paragraphs below.)

EC Output
8.1		 Output
8.2		 Output
8.3		 Output
8.4
1 P1 P2 P1 P1
2 P1 P1 P2 P1
3-5 P2 P2 P2 P1

Readiness:

Standards

Designated force elements that meet specified readiness criteria in accordance with Schedule 4 to the NZDF Output Plan, as follows:

 

  • Directed Level of Capability (DLOC) for units contributing to Company and Battalion Groups.

 

Current Operations: DLOC for communications support to a company group for EC 2 was achieved with the company group deployment to Timor-Leste and the enhanced platoon group deployed to the Solomon Islands. Communications support was also provided to the company group deployment to Afghanistan.

Preparedness for Other Events: Communications support to a company group for EC 1 tasks was able to be provided at DLOC.

Non-sustainable Artillery, engineer and, sustainable Military Police elements were able to be provided at DLOC to support company group tasks for EC 1 and EC 2.

A non-sustainable artillery battery was able to be provided at DLOC to support up to an infantry battalion group for EC 2-5 tasks.

A non-sustainable Engineer Squadron was able to be provided at DLOC to support an infantry battalion for EC 2-5 tasks.

A sustainable MP detachment was able to be provided at DLOC to support an infantry battalion for EC 2-5 tasks.

  • Basic Level of Capability (BLOC) for Brigade Group framework units (TF Battalion Groups)

BLOC was maintained for TF units.

  • Land Combat Support Forces carry out a range of training activities in accordance with the NZDF Exercise Activity Schedule (EAS), Army Mission Essential Task Lists (METLs), Army Annual Plan, and Formation and Unit Training Directives. This will include participation in Battalion Group exercises and Formation level Command Post Exercises.

Measures

NZDF OPRES.

Land Combat Support Forces conducted a range of training activities, including sub-unit or specialist troop exercises.

(See under highlights for OE 8 above.)

Combat Viability:

Standards

  • Personnel that meet the collective training standards, experience levels and qualification requirements for military tasks.

Current Operations: The collective trained state for communications support to a company group for EC 2 was achieved with the company group deployment to Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, and the enhanced platoon group deployed to Solomon Islands.

Preparedness for Other Events: The collective trained state for artillery, engineer, communications, and MP elements was sufficient to meet the standards for low-level EC1 and EC 2 company group deployments.

In particular, a continued lack of training for Artillery Forward Observers (FO) and Forward Air Controlling (FAC) personnel significantly limits the effect of fire support.

  • Equipment performance, reliability and technology that meet required standards for commitment to military tasks.

Current Operations: The required standards for equipment performance, reliability and technology were met with the communications support provided to the company group deployments to Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, and the enhanced platoon group deployed to Solomon Islands.

Preparedness for Other Events: Combat support force elements were substantially equipped to support a company group for low-level conflict (EC 1 and EC 2).

There were equipment limitations on the ability to respond to contingencies involving a higher threat environment (ECs 3-5), due to deficiencies in communications, mobility and combat field engineer equipment. There was also a lack of cueing and identification equipment for the Air Defence capability. These deficiencies degrade the Army’s effectiveness in conventional combat operations and the more demanding peace support operations. These issues are being addressed and combat support equipment is steadily being introduced into service.

  • Effective interoperability when working with friendly forces.

Measures

NZDF OPRES.

Effective interoperability when working with friendly forces was achieved.

Exercise Long Guns (held in Australia) demonstrated NZ Army artillery competency operating in a complex warfighting environment when compared to our closest allies. This exercise was externally validated and compared to similar Australian forces, the NZ Army artillery battery performed exceptionally, demonstrating that they are more than able to integrate into a coalition environment, and perform, at least as well as our Australian counterparts.

Deployability:

Standards

  • Force Elements capable of generating the Operational Level of Capability (OLOC) within designated Response Times (timeliness), as specified in Schedule 4 to the NZDF Output Plan.

Artillery was capable of generating OLOC within the response time, less FAC training and without NATO accreditation. Further testing would have been required in theatre if NZ Artillery and FO/FAC parties had been required to operate.

The engineers and military police elements were capable of generating OLOC within the designated response time for a company group response.

Communications elements were capable of meeting response times for EC 1, low end EC 2, and EC 3-5 requirements, but would have been unable to meet high end EC 2 response times, due to some equipment shortages.

Combat support force elements were unable to meet the specified requirements to support a battalion group, due Army’s current operational commitments.

  • Munitions, stores and equipment available for OLOC generation, as specified in unit and Army Equipment Holding Documents and Contingency Plans.

Measures

  • NZDF OPRES.

Munitions, stores and equipment for OLOC generation could have been provided utilising total Army resources.

Sustainability:

Standards

  • Munitions, expendable and technical stores available, as specified in Contingency Plans to maintain OLOC for the designated operational viability period (OVP.)

(Availability of munitions will depend on inventory holdings to meet OLOC generation requirements and holdings of Contingency Reserve Stocks (CRS)).

 

Munitions, expendable, and technical stores to maintain OLOC for the designated OVP could have been provided from within total Army resources.

  • Personnel available for reinforcement and rotation of deployed forces for continuous operations in accordance with Schedule 4 to the NZDF Output Plan.

Measures

NZDF OPRES.

Personnel were available for reinforcement and rotation of current deployments.

Due to the current operational commitments, personnel were not available for reinforcement and rotation of an infantry battalion group.

Note 1: Land operations under ECs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. (See details on ECs at the start of this section.)

Note 2: This Output Expense is designed to provide Artillery, Engineer, Communications and Military Police capabilities prepared for the support of land operations and capable of supporting up to a battalion group sized force (motorised, non-motorised or composite).  It also includes the requirement to provide transport elements to the framework of a brigade group for simulation and Command Post Exercise-based combined arms training, and the provision of some community support services.

Note 3: Deployment Impact - the Army Communications and Military Police capabilities can be stretched when they are required to support a large number of concurrent deployments.

Costs for Output Expense 8 (GST Exclusive)

Actual
2007/08
($ million)		 Category Main
Estimates
($ million)		 Supplementary
Estimates
($ million)		 Actual
2008/09
($ million)
  Expenditure      
82.686 Personnel 96.271 101.426 100.405
43.344 Operating 52.484 47.683 49.741
0.101 Losses on Foreign Exchange - - 2.922
22.092 Depreciation 27.589 21.701 21.101
25.628 Capital Charge 25.255 28.000 28.001
173.851 Total Expenses 201.599 198.810 202.170
  Income      
171.046 Revenue Crown 200.932 197.573 197.573
0.201 Revenue Department 0.360 0.726 0.569
0.181 Revenue Other 0.307 0.511 0.227
1.297 Gains on Foreign Exchange - 3.432 3.794
172.725 Total Income 201.599 202.242 202.163
(1.126) Net Surplus (Deficit) - 3.432 (0.007)
         
  Cost by Output      
58.975 Output 8.1 67.469 65.284 66.560
69.887 Output 8.2 77.455 78.654 79.396
37.030 Output 8.3 42.050 41.539 42.005
7.959 Output 8.4 14.625 13.333 14.209

The NZDF is appropriated for expenditure excluding remeasurements. Remeasurements are defined under the Public Finance Act as a revision of a future obligation that changes the carrying amount of an asset or liability. The total approved appropriation in 2008/09 for this output expense was $201.169 million and the total expenditure excluding remeasurements was $199.248 million. There was no unappropriated expenditure for this output expense.

Please use this pdf file to print this page.

Previous | Contents | Next 

This page was last reviewed on 1 October 2009, and is current.