The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is implementing a strategy to ensure its viability into the future, known as Future 35. The strategy focuses on two overarching themes of organizational reform and capability renewal. The strategy was developed in a fiscally austere environment where government seeks to gain efficiency and effectiveness from its government departments, including the defense force. The thesis examines the two key themes to determine whether the NZDF will be able to achieve the desired end state with the means assigned. The analysis looks at the fiscal trends to determine whether financial resources to defense are decreasing. The thesis then examines the physical resources available to the NZDF and how these could be applied into nations within New Zealand's strategic area of interest. Finally, the thesis examines internal and external influences on the NZDF to determine what challenges may impact the implementation of the strategy into the future.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)