Changes in the Communications Branch

From the Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Jack Steer.
Over the past decade, changes in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have fundamentally altered the way people work and live. The increasingly interconnected and networked world that is developing is also changing the way in which maritime warfare is conducted. ICT already supports almost every activity the military undertakes, including combat, logistics, surveillance and communications.
The unprecedented growth of ICT and changes in its application to modern warfare has required an increased dependency on IT networks and associated bearers for naval communicators. Reading about events a day later in the newspaper is no longer acceptable. Communications Information previously considered an enabler of the War-fighting Discipline; is now a War-fighting Discipline in its own right and an exciting time for the Communications Trade.
The Communications Trade has recently undergone a comprehensive review in an effort to incorporate emerging technologies while also maintaining its focus on traditional roles. The last review was undertaken over a decade ago and saw the amalgamation of the Radio and Signals Branches. This served us well but it is now
time to firmly embrace and implement the findings of the review to meet our current and future demands. Therefore, effective from 4 December 2013 the RNZN Communications Trade, formerly known as Communications Operators, will be restructured and renamed as the Communications Warfare Specialist (CWS) trade which better aligns the Communications Trade with their Operations Specialist Branch counterparts.
Other than the name change, the biggest change is the addition of ICT to be a core competency of the CWS trade. This new skill set will see all CWS trained in ICT
however additional qualifications such as Radio Supervisor or Yeoman of Signals will
also remain at the Senior Rating level. It is imperative that RS and YS skills sets are
maintained despite technological changes.
The CWS name change will also be accompanied by a new branch badge. This represents the historical and modern nature of the communications environment specifically: Global – The Earth centred on Aotearoa (NZ) and signifies the elements of Land, Sea and Air that makes up the environment the RNZN operates from and in;
Lightning bolt – From Greek and Roman mythology reflecting the roles of Hermes
and Mercury as gods of the sky; and Elliptical Orbit – Depicts the future use of the
stratosphere for terrestrial communications and with the inclusion of Four Stars
representing orbiting satellites in the form of the Southern Cross.

This is a significant change to a very important branch in our Navy and our Defence Force. I look forward to seeing the new CWS continuing their vital work for our Navy.