New Zealand Navy Hosting International Frigate Workshop

MEKO 200 Anzac class Frigates (New Zealand), 118 m length and 3.600 tons full load (photo : raoul1)

WELLINGTON (Xinhua) -- Navy personnel from nine countries are gathered in New Zealand to discuss modernization of a widely used class of frigates, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) announced Wednesday.


The RNZN is hosting the talks with a focus on its two ANZAC class frigates, Te Kaha and Te Mana, which were adapted from Meko class frigates.

MEKO 200 Anzac class Frigates (Australia), 118 m length and 3.600 tons full load (photo : Aus DoD)

The annual Meko Users Workshop in Auckland from May 13 to 16 involves personnel from Australia, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Portugal, South Africa and Turkey, with representatives from Algeria, which is expected to take delivery of two Meko A200 class frigates in 2016.

The workshop provided a forum to discuss and share information between international navies, said RNZN Captain Andrew Brown, Logistics Commander (Maritime) and joint chair of the workshop.

MEKO 100 Kedah class OPV (Malaysia), 91 m length and 1.850 tons full load (photo : AFP)

"It is a free and frank exchange of ideas and operational experiences. New Zealand has some very current examples of the way that we are future-proofing our warships, and we are proud to share these with our international partners," Brown said in a statement.

"The RNZN is in the middle of a multi-stage midlife upgrade for the frigates. We've started with platform systems improvements and enhancing sewerage and air conditioning plants. The second stage will see an upgrade of the frigates' combat systems," he said.

MEKO Frigate 123 Brandenburg-class frigate (Germany), 139 m length and 4,490 tons full load (photo : de:Benutzer:Monsterxxl)

"International workshops like this ensure that our upgrades move us forward in a way that is consistent with our international partners."

(Xinhua)