The Armed Forces of New Zealand

New Zealand is, by any criterion, a small nation. On the edge of one of the most rapidly changing regions of the world, New Zealand is having to redefine its role in the world and the defence and security resources it has at its disposal. It faces no direct threat to its security and yet New Zealand's armed forces have played a prominent role in international operations, especially UN peacekeeping. This book describes the organisation, roles and functions of each branch of New Zealand's armed forces and gives historical background on their evolution. It analyses their strengths and weaknesses and discusses the problems faced by a small armed force trying to maintain its professionalism in a time of tight budgets and general public apathy towards defence issues. An appendix provides a succinct summary of forces: air, naval and ground.