United Kingdom and Australia help New Zealand army to develop its amphibious forces 0911121

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Defense News - New Zealand
 
 
Friday, November 9, 2012, 08:22 AM
 
United Kingdom and Australia help New Zealand army to develop its amphibious forces.
Military forces from Australia and Britain are helping the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) to develop its amphibious capability in an exercise in Auckland this week. Army, navy and air forces were taking part in Exercise Pae Tata 2012 at various locations, with drills aimed at securing a point of entry and executing a beach landing, said a statement from the NZDF Friday, November 9, 2012.
     

New Zealand Army soldiers during amphibious military exercise at Army Bay in the Shakespear Regional Park. (Archive image)
     

The exercise, from Nov. 5 to 16, involved two New Zealand navy vessels and a diving team, a headquarters element and enhanced infantry company, a special forces task element, and two air force detachments.

Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Tobruk was also taking part in the drill to develop ANZAC (named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of the First World War) interoperability.

Amphibious trainers from the United Kingdom would deliver an amphibious warfare training package.

Exercise Pae Tata 2012 was an opportunity to develop the NZDF's emerging Joint Amphibious Task Force capability, building on experiences in Exercise Alam Halfa in New Zealand in May and the U. S.-run RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercise in July, Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Dave Gawn, said in the statement.

"The Joint Amphibious Task Force would allow the New Zealand Defense Force to effectively respond to any contingencies in the South Pacific, working alongside our Pacific neighbors," said Gawn.

"Interoperability is a crucial part of the Joint Amphibious Task Force capability, where the Defense Force will be able to integrate with and operate alongside our partners in the South Pacific or further afield."

Exercise Pae Tata was a precursor to Exercise Southern Katipo 2013, a major amphibious exercise which would be based in New Zealand and involve a range of international participants, he said.