Protector-class inshore patrol vessel

The Protector inshore patrol vessel (also known as the Rotoiti class and the Lake class) is a ship class of inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) which replaced the RNZN's Moa-class patrol boats in 2007–2008. All four vessels are named after New Zealand lakes.

Design and construction
Conceived as part of Project Protector, the Ministry of Defence acquisition project to acquire one multi-role vessel, two offshore and four inshore patrol vessels. The Project Protector vessels will be operated by the RNZN to conduct tasks for and with the New Zealand Customs Service, the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime New Zealand, and New Zealand Police. The future duties will include maritime surveillance and boarding, support to civilian agencies such as the customs service and search and rescue duties.

The ships were built in Whangarei by BAE Systems Australia (formerly Tenix Shipbuilding), and are based on a modified search and rescue vessel for the Philippine Coast Guard, with a different superstructure design. The cost for the four vessels was planned to be NZ$100 million. Friction stir welding was used in the construction of the superstructure, and Donovan Group being the first New Zealand company to use the technique, which is credited as having won them the contract for this part of the vessel's construction.

Capabilities and features
The IPVs will normally be used for inshore tasks within 24 nmi of the coastline. However, they will have operational ranges of 3000 nmi. Together with their improved speed, this will be sufficient to intercept, for example, large off-shore fishing trawlers working illegally in New Zealand waters. Each vessel is intended to achieve 290 available patrol days per year.

They will have the ability to patrol (including receiving vertical replenishment) in up to sea state 5 (seas rough, waves 2.5–4m) and have the ability to survive in conditions of up to sea state 8 (seas very high, waves 9–14m). However, boat deployment and recovery will be limited to sea state 4 (seas moderate, waves 1.25–2.5m). These parameters are much more capable than the Moa Class which they replace. The shipbuilder claims "the vessel is more than capable of extending the Crown's operational envelope to southern ocean patrol duties".

Names

 * HMNZS Rotoiti (P3569) (commissioned 17 April 2009)
 * HMNZS Hawea (P3571) (commissioned 1 May 2009)
 * HMNZS Pukaki (P3568) (commissioned 14 May 2009)
 * HMNZS Taupo (P3570) (commissioned 29 May 2009)

These ships' names come from New Zealand lakes: Rotoiti and Taupo in the North Island, Hawea and Pukaki in the South Island. They were also the names of Lake class patrol boats and frigates previously operated by the RNZN.