The Army Configuration Review (ACR) was established to determine how the Army should be configured to best maintain its operational capability during the next five years as it builds its capability towards the level required by government policy. Further, the ACR also looked at options to address the range of capability gaps identified in the DCARR.
The ACR concluded that contemporary military operations are complex and asymmetric in nature with short warning times. This reinforces the need for force elements to exhibit greater flexibility, agility, utility, capability and sustainability than those traditionally configured for conventional inter-state operations. The opportunity provided by the acquisition and introduction into service of the mobility capabilities (NZ Light Armoured Vehicles and Light Operational Vehicles), as well as self protection (Medium Range Anti-Armour Weapon, Very Low Level Air Defence Weapon and Direct Fire Support Weapon), and modern communications (Tactical Mobile Communications System) capabilities since 2000, and the potential offered by the future intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and Combat Service Support capabilities allows the Army to deliver outputs in new and innovative ways beyond that initially envisaged at the time of the Defence Policy Framework (DPF). The ACR envisaged a ten-year process of Army transformation to meet the requirements of the DSI and the Government’s defence policy.
The Minister of Defence was briefed on the ACR in December 2006. The Minister was asked to note the status of the ACR and the incorporation of the ACR into the Army Transformation Programme (ATP). The Minister agreed that the NZDF and the Ministry of Defence now proceed to develop firm Army configuration proposals via the ATP for consideration by Cabinet that would include policy and options analysis, detailed costings, and an implementation risk analysis that are in accord with agreed output milestones.
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