Commanding Officer - HMNZS ENDEAVOUR A11
COMMANDER Keith Robb, RNZN
Commander Keith Robb heralds from Gisborne, New Zealand and joined the RNZN in January 1976. He began his naval career as a Junior Rating specialising as a Seaman Radar Plotter.
As a rating Commander Robb served at sea in HMNZ Ship’s TARANAKI, OTAGO, WAIKATO, TARAPUNGA and WELLINGTON as well as six month attachment to the Australian Destroyer HMAS VAMPIRE. In 1982 Commander Robb was selected for service in the Royal Yacht BRITTANIA, as a member of the New Zealand Navy contingent during the Ship’s visit to New Zealand in support of the Royal Tour. Commander Robb also served ashore at PHILOMEL and TAMAKI and at the now disbanded Naval Air Support Unit based at RNZAF Hobsonville in West Auckland. Commander Robb obtained the rank of Petty Officer before being selected for officer training. In 1987 he was Commissioned from the Ranks as a Sub Lieutenant in the Executive Branch.
After completing his initial training at the Officer Training School HMNZS TAMAKI, Commander Robb returned to sea early in 1988 to HMNZS WELLINGTON to qualify as a Bridge Watch-keeping Officer; fully qualified within a year he was also promoted to Lieutenant. In 1989 Commander Robb qualified as an Anti Submarine Aircraft Controller and posted to HMNZS SOUTHLAND as the Aircraft Control Officer. He then posted to HMZS WATSON, Sydney, Australia to undertake an 11-month Principal Warfare Officer’s course in 1991.
In 1992-3 Commander Robb was back at sea as the Gunnery Officer, firstly in HMNZS WAIKATO, then HMNZS WELLINGTON. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1994, Commander Robb assumed the role of Staff Officer Sea Training and Staff Officer Above Water Warfare on the staff of the Maritime Commander Auckland.
Returning to sea postings early 1996 Commander Robb commenced a busy period which included operational deployments. As Operations Officer of HMNZS CANTERBURY he deployed to the Arabian Gulf to enforce UN sanctions on Iraq. In 1997 he enjoyed his first command as Commanding Officer of the diving support vessel HMNZS MANAWANUI, deployed to the island of Bougainville in support of the New Zealand led Truce Monitoring Group. From this role Commander Robb was posted as the commissioning Executive Officer of HMNZS TE MANA while she was fitted out at the builder’s yard in Melbourne, Australia. During 2000 and 2001 HMNZS TE MANA saw brief operational service in the Solomon Islands.
In July 2001 Commander Robb moved to Wellington to take up a position in the newly established Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand. In November of the same year he was promoted to his current rank of Commander and appointed as the Inspector General of the Navy, on the staff of the Chief of Navy at Naval Headquarters Wellington. During this period Commander Robb also held the positions of Director of Naval Warfare and Commanding Officer of WAKEFIELD concurrently for a short while.
Commander Robb was appointed as Commanding Officer of the ANZAC Class Frigate, HMNZS TE KAHA in August 2003 and remained in command until January 2006. In February 2006 Commander Robb was posted as Executive Officer of HMNZS PHILOMEL at Devonport Auckland New Zealand.
Commander Robb commenced a three year diplomatic post as the Naval Adviser on the New Zealand Defence Staff, Canberra Australia in March 2007. In March 2010, Commander Robb took up the position of the Military Assistant to the Maritime Component Commander at Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand.