Re: OU and New Caledonia - was RE: [GZG] NSL Geopolitical Composition

["john tailby" <John_Tailby@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> Beth.Fulton@xxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > > Neither NZ or Australia is likely to have the capability to manufacture 
> > > arms in the next 50 years so they would need
> > > to buy them from somewhere. Historic links suggest their
> > > gear might will be Anglican.
> >
> >
> > What kind of arms are you talking about? We're developing new weapons all 
> > the time so I find that statement a bit odd.
>
> Shhh! He's never heard of Winin, Nulka, Karinga, Barra, Jindalee, 
> Karriwarra, Ikara, Malkara, Jindivik, etc etc. Few people have. Though the 
> Brits know about their SSQ-801 sonobuoy aka Barra, and the USN their Mk53 
> DLS, aka Nulka and Mk303 Target Drone, aka Jindivik, though those last are 
> long since retired and transferred to the UK, while the Mk53 is just 
> entering service.

To be able to project power over a long distance over water requires 
considerable military investment and a manufacturing base to do so.
It is easy to make small arms, so you could have a low tech army.
It is possible to make light armoured vehicles from civilian engineering 
knowledge.
It would be very hard to design an build an indigenous design for an MBT 
especially one that can compete with major power designs.
It isn't likely that the Pacific Rim could develop the military 
infrastructure to develop their own designs for fighter aircraft, aircraft 
carriers or large naval combatants.
Even the current defence spending on frigates is based on designs from 
Europe with components made under licence by local contractors.

Even China with it's much greater industrial based is believed to need 20 
years to develop enough deep water naval capability to be expansionist 
across the Pacific.

What is interesting is trying to imagine how you would get from the current 
state of affairs to militaristic enough to invade New Caledonia and stand 
off France in only 10 electoral cycles. The last thing NZ wants to do is 
jeopardise its relations with the EU because where would it sell its 
agricultural products to.

Once scenario that springs to mind is that large deposits of unbotanium used 
to make FTL drives is discovered in the Tasman Sea. Exploitation of this 
material could make both countries very rich but also very attractive to 
take over. Wealthy but poorly protected makes for an attractive target. 
Without the protection of the US, the ANZACs might need to get reborn to 
fend off threats to the mineral wealth. The Pacific Islands would then make 
useful bases for maritime surveillance reducing the need for capital ships.
At some point though someone would try to send in a naval squadron and try a 
bit of gunboat diplomacy.

Could make for some interesting games 


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