New Zealand Defence Force

Medic Graduation 🩺 Defence Health School celebrated the tri-service graduation of 32 medics at a ceremony at Burnham Military Camp last week. Acting Chief of Navy Commodore Andrew Brown was the reviewing officer for the Gorman and Campbell classes. Our medics are essential in supporting the health of all our personnel in any environment - day to day within at camps and bases, on training exercises in the field, or on overseas deployments. The comprehensive and rigorous Medic course is the longest trade training the Defence Force offers, and it builds knowledge and experience from primary care to trauma response. With medics from across all three services, camps and bases around New Zealand will be welcoming the new graduates in the coming weeks. 📸 CPL S Spivey #Force4NZ

Boots on the ground 🥾 We have a range of Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel from a scope of trades supporting Exercise Pitch Black in Australia this year. So, what’ve our personnel been up to? ⛽️ Our refuellers have been providing support to aircraft from all different nations including these Indonesian F-16 Fighting Falcons 🦺 Our air load team has been shifting huge amounts of supplies, aircraft, and personnel in and out of RAAF Base Darwin 🧑🚒 Our aviation rescue firefighters have been working with international counterparts and maintaining firefighting capabilities out at RAAF Base Amberley, ready for any event 🔧 Our ground support equipment technicians have been hands-on with the RAAF 13 Squadron Mechanical Equipment Operational Maintenance Section to keep the exercise rolling With 20 countries involved, team NZ has been working hard to enable everyone to keep performing smoothly. #Force4NZ #NZAirForce

WATCH🎬 During the sea phase of Exercise RIMPAC, HMNZS Aotearoa conducted a successful Consolidation Replenishment at Sea with the US commercial tanker MV Allied Pacific. #NZNavy #Force4NZ #RIMPAC2024

STORY📰 For the first time, instructors from our Army have participated in the marching out of Republic of Fiji Military Force (RFMF) recruits. Sergeant Andrew Shaw, Corporal Darby Taunoa and Corporal Laura McFadzien took the Platoon Sergeant places for the march out of 192 recruits, performed in front of Fiji’s President, His Excellency Wiliame Katonivere, in Suva last week. Military training is an integral part of our Mutual Assistance Programme, which supports interoperability, standardisation and all arms progression across partner courses between the NZDF and RFMF. “We met as strangers and they now depart as close friends. We often say, ‘ke vakatau vei keitou na lako ke dou sa tiko madaga’, which translates to ‘if it were up to us, we would not let you leave’.” ~ Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Waqanisau, RFMF FTG Commanding Officer Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gnhY-fsc #Force4NZ #NZArmy

Further, faster, smarter 👁️🔫 During a recent equipment introduction and training activity, 1(NZ) Brigade put our Army’s newest night vision capabilities to the test at a live firing night shoot. The equipment, you ask? Kestrel and Dragon. What these Dual Night Vision Goggles and Thermal Inline Weapon Sights bring to the battlefield: ▪️ Tactical interoperability alongside international partners ▪️ Significant improvement of depth perception by night ▪️ Increased detection capabilities ▪️ Multi-weapon employability "The introduction of this new equipment reinforces our war-fighting focus by increasing our lethality and survivability, not just on operations but also in training." ~ Training Officer, Warrant Officer Class One, Stephen Montgomery #NZArmy #Force4NZ

STORY📰 From state-of-the-art fighter jets neutralising would-be enemies to collective problem-solving about simulated aerial threats, Exercise Pitch Black 2024 is currently underway in Australia with a large contingent of our personnel involved. Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s premier flying exercise held in northern Australia every two years with this iteration being the largest since its establishment in 1981. Our contingent is embedded within the Australian Defence Force. Overall, more than 4,400 personnel from 20 nations are expected to attend over the course of the exercise, with more than 140 aircraft taking part. “This exercise also gives our personnel the opportunity to support some of the most advanced technology and aircraft in the world, and shows our partners how highly skilled and valuable our men and women are in a multi-national environment." ~  Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Commodore Daniel ‘DJ’ Hunt Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gk8fJMxq #Force4NZ #NZAirForce #PitchBlack24

STORY📰 Our Royal New Zealand Air Force's School to Skies Wāhine camp continues to lead the way in supporting young women into Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and aviation careers. The course has also drawn high praise from counterparts at the Royal Canadian Air Force | Aviation royale canadienne (RCAF) who attended last week’s programme. RCAF Avionics Technician Master Corporal Sarah Getz made the trip from Nova Scotia to attend the camp at RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “It’s been great to share knowledge about trades, equipment, positive experiences and challenges we all face operating in a modern military environment. I’ve also spent time with the cultural advisor, recruiting personnel, and the mentoring program manager learning about how diversity is encouraged and supported in the New Zealand Defence Force, which has also been so valuable.” Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gwfxa2Fe #Force4NZ #NZAirForce

NEWS📢 Aircraft belonging to the air forces of France, Germany and Spain arrived at Base Ohakea yesterday as crew and personnel made a goodwill visit to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The three aircraft are A400M military turboprop transports, which carry out a range of air mobility tasks similar to those performed by New Zealand’s C-130 Hercules. Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Commodore DJ Hunt, said that the Air Force rarely had the opportunity to host European aircraft and colleagues. “This is a visit from three like-minded nations with whom New Zealand has established and friendly relations. We operate, at times, in Europe and we have great working relationships with our fellow aviators in these countries, so it is a real pleasure to welcome them to New Zealand and engage with them in our own country." Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gWsFCRkQ #Force4NZ #NZAirForce

RIMPAC visit 🫡 The Royal New Zealand Navy Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Garin Golding and the New Zealand Defence Attaché to the United States, Brigadier Michael Shapland left Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam on Monday after visiting NZDF personnel and various international partners involved in Exercise RIMPAC 24.   Highlights of the visit included key leadership engagements with Commander US Third Fleet, U.S. Coast Guard Commander of Pacific area and the Commander of the Joint Interagency Task Force West. The visit also provided CDRE Golding and BRIG Shapland with an opportunity to engage with NZDF personnel both at sea and ashore and congratulate them on the outstanding job they are doing during the exercise.    “Exercise RIMPAC is a significant event for the NZDF due to the opportunities it provides for engagement and interaction with our trusted international partners in a maritime warfare-focused scenario. My main highlight during the visit was witnessing first-hand the great work our people are doing over there, whilst also engaging senior leaders of other participating nations about the shared value of partners and allies, focused on a free Indo-Pacific.” ~ Commodore Garin Golding #Force4NZ #NZNavy #RIMPAC2024

READ📰 The July edition of Army News is out now. Join 2nd/1st Battalion during their Birthday celebrations in Christchurch, Blast into action during Exercise Brimstone, look back on our deployment to East Timor, 25 years on, and much more. ➡️ nzdf.mil.nz/army-news #Force4NZ #NZArmy