Royal New Zealand Navy

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Royal New Zealand Navy
Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa (Māori)
Badge of the Royal New Zealand Navy
Founded	1 October 1941; 82 years ago (1941-10-01)
Country	Dominion of New Zealand (1941–1947) New Zealand (1947-present)
Type	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	2,047 active personnel 775 reserves 9 commissioned ships
Part of	New Zealand Defence Force
Garrison/HQ	Devonport Naval Base
Colours	Red   White
March	Quick – "Heart of Oak" Playⓘ Slow – "E Pari Ra"
Mascot(s)	Anchor
Anniversaries	1 October 1941 (founded)
Fleet	2 frigates 2 offshore patrol vessels 2 inshore patrol vessels 1 landing ship logistics 1 replenishment oiler 1 hydrographic survey and diving support vessel
Engagements	World War II Korean War Malayan Emergency Cross border attacks in Sabah Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Iran–Iraq War Gulf War Solomon Islands East Timor Operation Enduring Freedom
Website	https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/navy/
Commanders
Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief	Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro
Chief of Defence Force	Air Marshal Kevin Short
Chief of Navy	Rear Admiral David Proctor
Deputy Chief of Navy	Commodore Andrew Brown
Insignia
Logo
Naval ensign
Naval jack
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	Kaman SH2G(I) Super Seasprite

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; Māori: Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, lit. 'Sea Warriors of New Zealand') is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act 1913, and the subsequent acquisition of the cruiser HMS Philomel, which by 1921 had been moored in Auckland as a training ship. A slow buildup occurred during the interwar period, and then in December 1939 HMS Achilles fought alongside two other Royal Navy cruisers at the Battle of the River Plate against the German ship, Graf Spee .