- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see HMNZS Taupo in game.
HMNZS Taupo at speed while on patrol, 2026
Background:
HMNZS Taupo is one of four Lake-class Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) built for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). This class was designed to patrol New Zealand’s 15,000km coastline’s 24nmi inshore zone with regards to search and rescue, deckhand and officer training, as well as operations in support of the New Zealand Police, Customs, Department of Conservation (Fisheries) and Ministry for Primary Industries.
Development of the Lake-class would begin in February 2001, with the Maritime Patrol Review in February 2001, which stated that the RNZN did not meet the patrol capabilities needed for EEZ patrol and inshore operations, as the RNZN is obligated to not only patrol NZ’s EEZ, but also the EEZ for allied south pacific island nations. Another requirement in this paper was the ability for the RNZN to conduct disaster relief throughout the region.
During this time the RNZN’s inshore and small fisheries protection was filled by the 27m Moa-class IPV, which were 20 years old (first commissioned 1983), however these vessels were extremely poor sailors, and were not suitable for extensive days at sea or the rough conditions often found around New Zealand. This failures of the Moa-class directly led to the specifications of their replacement under Project Protector, the same project which the Protector-class OPVs and the HMNZS Canterbury sealift vessel were acquired by the NZDF.
It was initially hoped that instead of inquiring a new class of vessel, that four of the seven strong Moa-class could be modernised and returned to service, however even with the projected upgrades, such vessels could not meet the patrol standards as required by more specific report, the Maritime Forces Review (MFR), which was written in May 2001.
Tenix Defence was contracted to design and build this new class of vessel, as they could build the vessels entirely within their Whangārei yard, meaning that the vessels would be locally produced, but also as they would build the vessel’s superstructure with friction stir welding in partnership with the Donovan Group. This technique allowed for a thinner material to be used while maintaining strength, thus saving top weight. Included in the design was to be two .50cal guns aft the bridge, one on either beam, and a third .50 forward.
This lake-class of IPV is also called the Rotoiti-class and Protector-class, however it’s official designation in the NZDF is the Lake-class.
This suggestion is for HMNZS Taupo as she commissioned in 2009, she is the third of her name, the first being a Loch-class Frigate, and the second being of an earlier IPV-class in service with the RNZN also confusingly named as the Lake-class.
HMNZS Taupo leaving Auckland for training duties, 2025
History:
HMNZS Taupo would be the last of the four strong Lake-class to be constructed, being launched in Whangarei, on the 23rd of August 2008. Fitting out would complete throughout the year, and the HMNZS Taupo would commission into the RNZN on the 29th of May 2009. She would be the last vessel to be produced as Tenix’s Whangarei yard, as it would close after her fitting out, as Tenix had been purchased by BAE systems in June 2008.
During trials it was found that the vessels exceeded specifications, with over double the designed range (6,000nmi instead of 3,000nmi) and an extra knot of speed (25kt instead of 24kt). This is credited to the efficiency of the friction stir welding technique. This gave the RNZN a massive increase of capability within their IPVs, as even the base design of the Lake-class was a massive improvement over the Moa-class, who were slower, with a maximum of only 12kts, a range of 3,000nmi @ 6kt, had a third of the armament at only 1x1 .50 M2HB, and far worse sea handling characteristics.
However, this improvement of the Moa-class did not mean that the Lake-class were free from problems. They still suffered in heavy sea conditions, mostly due to the fact the NZ’s waters can be very rough for small craft. Besides the handling problems, the NZDF also was suffering a severe personal shortage, and so to ensure manning of the more important pieces of equipment, only two of the four Lake-class could be maned from 2012.
The two vessels that would see active service would be the HMZNS Pukaki and Rotoiti, the first two vessels in the class, as such the latter two vessels, HMNZS Taupo and Hawea, would enter mothball. Here HMNZS Taupo would not sail for at least three years, when in early 2016 she would return to service training personal and patrolling the coastline. Inspections of fishing vessels further out could not be completed due to poor sea handling, and thus the Lake-class could not complete all missions they were assigned, operations were however found suitable in most operations.
By 2021 the NZDF realised that manning the four Lake-class was impossible, as sought to dispose of two of the class by sale to another nation. Taupo was saved this fate by the fact that she did not see service for 3 years, saving wear on her systems. Instead the two ships that were active during that time frame, HMNZS Pukaki and Rotoiti, were sold to the Irish Naval Service in 2022, who hoped that the Lake-class were more suitable for the calmer Irish Sea, allowing themselves to free up a larger OPV for work elsewhere.
Now permanently activated as one of only two IPVs left in the RNZN’s fleet, HMNZS Taupo sail the furthest north of any Lake-class, joining Operation Calypso in 2023, sailing to Apia, Samoa, where she would patrol Samoa’s EEZ for illegal fishing vessels until July that year. On return to New Zealand she would continue her patrol and training roles.
She remains in active service as of writing. Replacement of the two Lake-class IPVS still in service is not mentioned under the 2025 Defence Capability Plan.
HMNZS Taupo leading HMS Tamar into Auckland harbour, 2024.
| General Characteristics: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMNZS Taupo | ||||
| Country: New Zealand | ||||
| Type: IPV | ||||
| Class name: Lake-class | ||||
| Year of commission: 2009 | ||||
| Refit: 2009 | ||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||
| Dimensions: | ||||
| Length: 55m (180ft 5in) | ||||
| Beam: 9m (29ft 6in) | ||||
| Draught: 2.9m (9ft 6in) | ||||
| Displacement: 340t | ||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||
| Propulsion: | ||||
| Powerplant: 2x MAN B&W 12V P185 Diesel Engines @ 3,400 hp (2,500 kW) ea, 2x shafts w/ controllable pitch props | ||||
| Speed: 25kt | ||||
| Endurance: 3,000nmi @ 12kt (Design range, trials range supposedly exceeded 6,000nmi) | ||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||
| Armament & sensors: | ||||
| Compliment: 24, accommodation for 38 | ||||
| Primary armament: 3x1 12.7mm M2HB | ||||
| Secondary armament: - nil | ||||
| Tertiary armament: - nil | ||||
| Radar: Exact models unknown, known to have nav, surface/air search, & Optical tracking | ||||
| Sonar: -nil | ||||
| Boats: 2x RHIBs |
Trainees aboard HMNZS Taupo next to her starboard .50cal MG. 2024
Extra Photos:
Sources:
https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/our-equipment/ships-and-watercraft/hmnzs-taupo/
https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/navy/navy-news/hmnzs-taupo-aids-in-rescue-after-yacht-grounding/
HMNZS Taupo (2008) - Wikipedia
Lake-class inshore patrol vessel - Wikipedia
Project Protector - Wikipedia
Rotoiti Protector class IPV Royal New Zealand Navy RNZN
Former HMNZS Rotoiti and Pukaki off to Ireland by Heavy Lift Ship - Naval Historical Society of Australia
https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/protector-class-inshore-patrol-vessel-ipv/?cf-view
Navy's newest patrol boats haven't made it to sea in years | Stuff
https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/assets/Uploads/DocumentLibrary/24-0253-NZDF-Defence-Capability-Plan-Single.pdf
