Employment Contexts (ECs)

The Employment Contexts (ECs) which follow are environment-related (geographically grouped) and relate directly to the tasks that the force elements of the Navy, Army, and Air Force need to train for and be prepared to deploy against should that be the Government’s requirement. The ECs are an integral part of the NZDF Operational Preparedness Framework [the NZDF Operational Preparedness and Reporting System (OPRES)] described later in this Statement of Intent.

Defence policy guidance provides information on the circumstances in which the Government may choose to use military forces. The NZDF uses this guidance to develop regionally grouped Employment Contexts. Employment Contexts are descriptions of representative and illustrative security events for which there is a likelihood that a New Zealand Government would expect to make a military response should they occur. They also provide a template against which to develop our military response options and military capabilities required and to assess and measure our preparedness for such events. Employment Contexts are selected through assessment of New Zealand’s geo-strategic situation and international security trends. The Employment Contexts are also chosen on the basis of their likelihood of occurrence in the near and longer terms and the consequences for New Zealand’s Defence Outcomes if the NZDF was unable to provide an appropriate response.

Employment Contexts include high level Operational Concepts which, in turn, drive Joint Mission Essential Tasks (JMETs), that is, those tasks that deployed forces must be able to perform. These JMETs drive the priorities for the Services’ and joint annual training activities and which determine the output parameters that need to be delivered in order to meet the Government’s requirements. The Employment Contexts also designate the anticipated time (the Response Time) available for the final preparation of force elements for their operational deployment; this affects the level of capability that must be maintained on an annual basis. Concepts for Operations and Contingency Plans can then be developed for relevant Employment Contexts. Current Employment Context Operational Concepts list the most likely force elements that would be involved in each security event. These force element lists are a guide only and are not exhaustive. Each security event may require the addition or deletion of some force elements. Employment Contexts provide the detail that ensures the NZDF output quality dimension is consistent with defence policy. The Employment Contexts (ECs), which are covered in more detail in the NZDF Output Plan, are as follows:

EC 1 - Security Challenges and Defence Tasks in New Zealand and its Environs:

EC 1A - Illegal exploitation of marine resources within the New Zealand EEZ, and other low-level threats to New Zealand territorial sovereignty.¹

EC 1B - Natural and manmade disasters.

EC 1C - Support to the delivery and maintenance of essential services in exceptional circumstances, including the hosting of major events.

EC 1D - Terrorist and Asymmetric Threats.¹

EC 1E - Support for Antarctic presence.

EC 2 - Security Challenges to New Zealand’s Interests in the South Pacific:

EC 2A - Illegal exploitation of marine resources within South Pacific EEZs, and other low-level threats to South Pacific nations’ territorial sovereignty.

EC 2B - Natural and man-made disasters.¹

EC 2C - State failure or fragility leading to internal conflict and/or humanitarian crisis.¹

EC 2D - Terrorist Threats.

EC 2E - Challenges to legitimate governments, including civil war and secessionist conflict.¹

EC 3 - Challenges to New Zealand and Australia Common Security Interests:

EC 3A - Illegal exploitation of marine resources within Australia’s EEZ, and other low-level threats to Australia’s territorial sovereignty.

EC 3B - Natural or manmade disasters.

EC 3C - External aggression against Australia.

EC 3D - Terrorist or Asymmetric Threats.

EC 4 - Security Challenges to New Zealand’s Interests in the Asia-Pacific Region:

EC 4A - Aggression to alter maritime boundaries or seize resources, or threats to freedom of navigation.¹

EC 4B - Natural or man-made disasters.

EC 4C - State failure or fragility leading to internal conflict and/or humanitarian crisis.

EC 4D - Terrorist Threats.

EC 4E - Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation.

EC 4F - Inter-State conflict.¹

EC 4G - Acts of piracy and people smuggling.

EC 5 - Security Challenges to New Zealand’s Interests in Global Peace and Security:

EC 5A - Aggression to alter maritime boundaries or seize resources, or threats to freedom of navigation.

EC 5B - Unresolved conflict or conflict resolution process where protagonists have sought third party resolution assistance.

EC 5C - State failure or fragility leading to internal conflict and/or humanitarian crisis.

EC 5D - Terrorist Threats (The War against Terrorism).¹

EC 5E - WMD proliferation.

EC 5F - Contravention of international norms that triggers a multi-national response.

EC 5G - Major breakdown in international security leading to wide-scale war.

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