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As the vessel travelled along the New Zealand coastline, its navigation radar interfered with wireless and radio signals spanning from the Taranaki region on the North Island to Marlborough on the South Island. The interference forced commercial service providers to stop using the affected frequency once they detected the radar signal.
The New Zealand defence force contacted its Australian counterpart after the issue came to light. The Australian defence force confirmed that the radar interference was identified and corrected after HMAS Canberra adjusted its frequencies. Authorities stated that there were no further disruptions and the matter was now resolved.
Radio Station and Internet Provider Affected
A South Island radio station in Blenheim reported having to switch to a backup system to continue broadcasting. The station’s founder said the interference disrupted not just their service, but several others in the region as well.
A wireless internet and mobile service provider in New Zealand, Primo, also experienced the effects. Its managing director, Matthew Harrison, described the incident as more than a minor disruption. He explained that the military-grade radar activated safety features designed to protect airspace, causing widespread impact across the network as the ship moved.
“It rolled across our network in sync with the ship’s movement,” Harrison said, adding that such an event was unprecedented for their operations.
Issue Resolved After Frequency Change
An ADF spokesperson stated that once the crew aboard HMAS Canberra became aware of the issue, they immediately changed radar frequencies, which resolved the interference. Both defence forces confirmed there were no lasting issues.
Joking about the disruption, Harrison asked the Royal Australian Navy where to send the bill, highlighting the unexpected scale of the impact the naval equipment had on civilian infrastructure.
