Oct. 2, 2017 / 11:13 AM

Future NZ navy ship to feature Saab communications system

A new replenishment ship being built for the Royal New Zealand Navy will feature Saab's TactiCall communications system.

HMNZS Endeavor, a replenishment ship, is being replaced by a new vessel that will use a communications system from Saab. Photo by Karora/Wikimedia

HMNZS Endeavor, a replenishment ship, is being replaced by a new vessel that will use a communications system from Saab. Photo by Karora/Wikimedia

Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The future replenishment vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy will feature a tactical communications network from Saab of Sweden.

The system, called TactiCall, interconnects communication technologies regardless of radio band, frequency or hardware.

Saab said support for the system chosen by the navy for the future HMNZS Aotearoa, will receive in-service support from Electronic Navigation Ltd, Saab's partner in New Zealand.

"This is our first sale in the region for a newly-built naval ship," Saab's Ellen Molin, head of the company's Support and Business area, said in a news release. "The cooperation and strong partnership with ENL solidifies our presence in New Zealand."

The future HMNZS Aotearoa will supply defense forces with fuel, fresh water, equipment and ammunition. It will also be ice-strengthened and "winterized" for operations in Antarctica.

The replenishment ship is being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and is scheduled for delivery to New Zealand's navy in 2020.

"This [sale to New Zealand] marks our second sale of our multi-level secure version of TactiCall, which recently won NATO's innovation award, the NITEC17 Defence Innovation Challenge," Molin said.

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