Australian Navy Ship Accidentally Knocks out NZ Internet, Radio Services

HMAS Canberra inadvertently interfered with New Zealand’s communications during a visit celebrating the two nations’ friendship.

Royal Australian Navy ships HMAS Adelaide (centre), HMAS Canberra and HMAS Supply (left) are escorted into Nuku‘alofa harbour by the Tongan Navy Guardian-class patrol boat VOEA Ngahau Siliva (right) during Operation Tonga Assist 2022 on March 1, 2022. David Cox/Australian Defence Force

A friendly visit from Australia’s largest navy vessel, HMAS Canberra, accidentally knocked out a range of internet and radio services in New Zealand.

Matthew Harrison, the founder and owner of New Zealand internet service provider (ISP) Primo, said the incident occurred on June 4 and was unlike anything he had ever seen.

“This morning, an Australian warship took out many 5 GHz wireless networks across parts of New Zealand,” he said on LinkedIn.

“From around 2 a.m., we started seeing our 5 GHz APs drop off the Primo network—DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) hits firing off all down the coastal area of Taranaki as the ship’s radar swept the area.

“It wasn’t just us either. Any wireless ISP with exposed coastal radios in its path would’ve felt it—with reports coming in from our friends at Inspire Net Limited in the Manawatū and TPNET NZ in Nelson confirming they were seeing the same.”

Harrison said he believed the incident was caused by a “full-scale, military-grade radar” triggering built-in safety protocols designed to protect airspace.

“It rolled across our network in sync with the ship’s movement,” he said.

“We’ve never seen anything like it here before.”

Harrison was referring to a feature that causes wireless access points to shut down in order to prevent interference with airspace radar systems—something that the ship’s frequency accidentally triggered.

He tagged the Royal Australian Navy in a post, asking, “Where can we send the bill?”

HMAS Canberra was travelling through the Cook Strait to New Zealand in preparation for a parade event at the time of the incident, but the 230-metre ship’s navigation radar started messing with the wireless access points, which connect both wireless and wired networks.

An Australian Defence Force spokesperson told the ABC that as soon as HMAS Canberra became aware, the vessel changed frequencies and remedied the issue with no ongoing disruptions.

On June 6, Defence Australia took to social media platform X to applaud HMAS Canberra’s proficiencies.

“The capability of HMAS Canberra was on full display, as the ship participated in its first amphibious serial ahead of its port visit to Canberra’s sister city Wellington, New Zealand as part of Navy-to-Navy international engagement activities,” the post said, finishing off with the “strong arm” emoji.